The student who kissed Cheryl Cole on New Year's Eve turned her down because of her bodyguards.

Tom Julius was partying with the former Girls Aloud singer - who recently split from Tre Holloway - and he rejected her advances in what he described as the ''biggest mistake'' of his life when the pair were at a club in Cape Town.

He told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: ''It was the biggest mistake of my life.

''I was a little nervous what might happen with all her bodyguards around. She was really friendly but obviously smashed.''

Tom couldn't believe it when he saw Cheryl in the club, and after they shared a kiss on the dancefloor she asked him to go somewhere for quiet drink.

He said: ''I turned around and just said 'Hi'! I started talking to her, joking about how I was single.

''She laughed and stroked my face She stroked my hair and started going mad. She kissed me on the lips and on the forehead.

''She was dancing on top of me with her arms around me, squeezing me. I thought, 'What the f**k is going on?' ''