Fed up of Faceparty? Getting tired of Gaydar? Well have a go at speed dating – the latest craze to hit the gay world.

As well as having a chance to have a different, fun night out and make great friends, it's also an opportunity to find Mr Right – but that's if you want to.

22-year-old puffta reader Will Jackson took on the challenge of gay speed dating and was surprised.

"I thought it would be full of old men who would be past their sell by date, but it wasn't," says Will. "There was a mix of young and old guys as the event caters for 21-35 year olds and lots of young guys came along in groups with friends. I had a great time."

Thirty men packed themselves into the newly refurbished Element Bar in Soho (formally The Sanctuary) and were welcomed by the friendly Pink staff Maria and Mel, who explained the rules of the evening.

"We were given name stickers and scorecards which split us into two groups. Throughout the three minute dates everyone moved from table to table. It was at times really fast paced and the three minutes flew by," say Will, a civil servant, who has just moved to the big city.

So why is gay speed dating so popular? According to Martin Stead, Managing Director at Pink, modern life for young gay men is so demanding.

"I was always busy with work and only just finding the time to catch up with friends so it was difficult to meet new people," says Martin. "Going out clubbing and surfing chat rooms were getting boring and didn't lead anywhere. That's why I decided to create Pink."

However boys, speed dating isn't full of singles wanting to find Mr Right.

"A lot of the guys who were there came along for a laugh and to make more friends – especially the young guys like me. It wasn't because they couldn't make friends, it was just a cool way of doing it," adds Will.

Those of you wanting to play the dating game latest survey statistics reveal dating makes you happier, healthier and better equipped to deal with the world.

But does speed dating work? Well according to Pink, their experience says yes: 77% of Pink clients have at least one follow-up date after and there are a number of guys now in long term relationships thanks to Pink. Many more have found great mates to hit the town with.

"There were some people I just didn’t click with but I got one match for a date with a hot guy and lots of matches for friends. It's been a great way for me to make some more gay friends in the city, especially as I have only been here a few months," says Will.

With the craze for speed dating taking off, Pink is becoming more and more popular. So here’s our top tips for successful speed dating…

• Remember you’ve only got three minutes so make sure you talk to him about something interesting and something that will make him remember you

• Watch for clues in his body language – usuals like touching hair and so on

• Don’t be too ruthless with the ticks – they are probably crapping themselves at the thought of doing this like you!

• Take lots of notes as you soon forget the guy you dated at the beginning of the night!

• Stay around at the end – you can get to know the hot guys a little better!

For more about Speed Dating visit www.pinkspeeddating.com