But my philosophy – and I literally wrote the book on Tinder – is that if you are meeting people then there is the potential to meet someone special.

I met my boyfriend on a dating app and I am not alone: there are thousands of us, loved-up thanks to a single swipe.

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, maybe these stories of dating app success will restore your faith in swiping.

Maybe even with love itself.

Sarah Atkinson, 33

I first saw my now boyfriend on Tinder: rugby kit, gorgeous dreadlocks. Yum.

I contacted a mutual friend who sent him my Tinder profile picture and he said he’d ‘look out for me’ so we never officially matched, and my friend did nothing to set us up. Friends are hopeless sometimes.

Fast forward to 2015, and I see this cute guy on Happn with short hair, wearing a suit; it wasn’t until we matched and he messaged that I realised it was the same guy.

We now live together and have a crazy amount of weird connections and mutual friends – we had probably been at the same parties but never met.

The moral of the story: apps make things happen and, as well-meaning as friends are, sometimes you’ve got to make the connection yourself.

Ashely Olsen, 29

I went on Tinder after an eight-year relationship ended.

I hadn’t really dated as an adult and thought it was a great way to learn; Tinder required little effort, unlike websites that asked you to write a big profile, and you’d chat for weeks before getting asked out.

I had strict swiping rules: tattoos – swipe left. Selfies – swipe left. Shirtless selfies – swipe left as fast as possible.

I wanted to date people with a good sense of humor, so I looked for guys with a description or pictures that made me giggle.

I came across a guy who was extremely cute, looked like he was a ton of fun and seemed genuine… little did I know I was swiping right on my future husband.

He immediately asked me for a drink.

Me: Don’t you want to get to know me a little better before meeting in person? I could be a homeless stripper.

Him: Dear diary, jackpot.

It really made me laugh so I took him up on his offer.

I had actually come from another Tinder date but we met at a bar and talked for hours.

We dated for a year before we moved in together, got engaged shortly after and have now been married for two years.

We both acknowledge that Tinder can be superficial: all you know is that you are attracted to the person and it is a leap of faith that you will hit it off.

(Original story created by: Rosy Edwards, Tuesday 30 Jan 2018 9:00 am)