With the chance to dress up and ride in a stretch limo, the school prom phenomenon may have caught on with teenagers over here, but if you want to see how it should be done you need to look across the Atlantic.

One lovestruck US teen was so keen to make a grand gesture in asking his girlfriend to accompany him to the prom, that he decided to write on the beach outside her house. The traditional message drawn in the sand with a stick seemed mundane so he thought that spray-paint would make a better impression.

The 18-year-old had got as far as “prom” when he was arrested by police, alerted by a resident who saw the teenager working on his creation, at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

The boy was made to remove his artwork, but he could still face a fine - the paint cans have been sent for analysis to see if the chemicals are a risk to the environment. No word yet, though, on whether the young lady accepted the invitation. Or even saw it.