London, Jan 10 (IANS) A first-of-its-kind dating website for people "larger than life" has come up in Britain, that also says slim people "need not apply".

Around 1,000 people flocked to the site - FunPie.co.uk - in the first 12 hours of its opening in the first week of January.

The self-confessed dating site for "large folk" invited people with "natural curves" to join up to "share some big love", The Sun reported.

The dating agency is the brainchild of dating entrepreneur Howard James, creator of The Ugly Bug Ball - the world's first dating site for the "aesthetically challenged".

James said the site was designed to offer Britain's estimated 12 million overweight men and women a "much-needed" service.

"Most dating sites seem to show people who are skinny models but there is a huge proportion of the population that is fabulously flabby," he said.

"There are precious few resources for them to find love with other overweight people," James added.

A member named Lisa Lawler, from London, said: "The site has been a real helping hand for me, I've finally been given the chance to embrace my curves and get back on the dating ladder."

Another member named Trevor, from Leeds, is one of the heaviest people in the dating site and weighs 178 kg.