Manchester has been dubbed the most romantic city in the UK, after a doughnut company which is famed for making sweet treats for the Love Island cast, NFL and British Airways, revealed just how many it had sold to Mancunians looking for love.

The doughnut bosses at Project D have seen astronomical sales of its enormous love heart-shaped doughnuts, which were launched earlier this week as a limited-edition gift for admirers to share with their Valentines, Galentines and Malentines!

Available in eight different varieties of fillings and toppings, the Love Hearts include the Buenissemo, which is pumped full of chocolate hazelnut spread, Percy’s Paradise, which is topped with pink icing and Percy Pigs, and the vegan Bad Boy’s, covered with salted caramel and topped with Lotus Biscoff biscuits.

After posting the products on social media and embarking upon an official Tiktok launch earlier this week, Project D was immediately inundated with thousands of online orders, and set about determining which parts of the nation boasts the largest number of sweethearts.

Manchester is currently topping the list, closely followed by Leeds, with the firm’s hometown of Derby scoring third in the passion stakes. Birmingham is proving to be the fourth most romantic city, with lovers from Liverpool in fifth.

Max Poynton, operations director for Project D, said: “Our Love Heart Mega Doughnut is the fastest-selling product we have ever launched. It received over three million views on social media in just two days.

“We’ve had orders from all over the UK, from Glasgow to Bristol and London to Cardiff, so we thought it would be interesting to see which city was the most romantic according to our statistics.

“So far, Manchester is currently just pipping Leeds to the top spot. And with Derby, Birmingham and Liverpool not far behind, there’s still time for those positions to change before Valentine’s Day – though our capacity to produce enough orders is running out fast.”

Rebecca Barton, originally from Failsworth, said: “I am surprised that Manchester has been named the most romantic city. I think it is possibly down to girls buying them for their Galentines! I had to move 86 miles away to find love!”

The eight colossal Love Heart Mega Doughnuts, are a steal at just £15 each, which is one reason that the doughnut chiefs at Project D think they have been so popular.

The range also includes a vegan Nothing But Love version, the Choc Fudge Brownie, It’s Not Terry’s, made with white chocolate, and the rainbow Pride doughnut. The team has also included a heart-shaped version of its best-selling Homer doughnut, complete with pink-coloured white chocolate and sprinkles.

The jumbo treats, which are delivered in Project D’s familiar pink-branded boxes, are designed to be broken in two, ideally to share with friends, family, or your better half.

Max added: “Not many people could manage a whole Love Heart in one sitting – so this is one occasion when a broken heart is probably a good thing!”

The award-winning firm, which prides itself on producing ‘the world’s best doughnuts’, has launched scores of creative doughnut designs since it was founded by three former school friends in 2018.

Project D has collaborated with numerous well-known brands during its short lifetime, including Amazon, Brewdog, Sainsbury’s and Coca-Cola.

It now employs more than 120 staff and produces more than 50,000 doughnuts each week at its bakery in Derby.