A BRAZILIAN man who turned up at Bournemouth Airport claiming he wanted to visit the town’s “ancient churches and beautiful square” has been removed from the UK after failing to convince officers he was a genuine tourist.

The 43-year-old man arrived on a flight from Portugal on Friday and told UK Border Agency officers at passport control that he wanted to enter the country for four days as a visitor.

He claimed to be a water melon farmer in Brazil, earning the equivalent of £37,000 a year.

But he could not provide evidence of his employment and knew no details of the local attractions he claimed to be visiting, which included Bournemouth’s “beaches, ancient churches and its beautiful square”.

The man, who held no return ticket to Brazil, was refused entry to the UK because he was deemed not be a genuine visitor, taken to Stansted Airport and removed the next morning.

David Holt, acting regional director for the UK Border Agency’s Border Force South, said: “If we suspect that someone is not genuinely coming to visit the UK, we refuse them entry.

“Our officers at the UK’s border are skilled at spotting those who are not genuine visitors to the UK and when their stories lack credibility we take action.

“The UK Border Agency is working hard to combat illegal immigration and Britain’s border security has never been stronger.”

The government is currently introducing sweeping changes to the UK’s border security and immigration system.

The new £1.2bn e-borders system is helping the UK Border Agency target terrorist suspects, known criminals and would-be illegal immigrants before they can reach the UK. The agency will be able to count everyone going in and out of the country by 2014.

Anyone with information about people being brought into the UK illegally should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.