He claims that his mother was lied to by the bride-to-be's mother, who he says showed his mother pictures of the bride's sister instead of the bride.

The Gulf News reports that the unidentified ambassador had only met his future bride, who is a physician, a few times before the marriage was due to take place - and she had been wearing the niqab at all times.

It was only after the marriage contract had been signed and just before the wedding party that he discovered, when he tried to kiss her, that she had a beard and crossed eyes.

The man, who is said to be the ambassador to Dubai from an unnamed Arabic state, then called off the celebration, and filed for divorce alleging that he had been deceived by his parents-in-law.

The court granted him the divorce, but refused his request that gifts he'd bought before the marriage should be returned.

/Metro.co.uk/