A BRITISH dad reported missing by his partner of 27 years turned up days later — married to another woman in Utah.

Decorator Malcolm McGregor, 38, told childhood sweetheart Cheryl Cowie he was visiting a relative 34 miles away. Instead he flew 4,568 miles to marry Bell Valek, 35.

The love rat’s location was discovered when he posed in wedding snaps posted online a few days after cops were alerted to his disappearance.

A pal of Cheryl, 37, said: “To say his family are devastated is an understatement.

“They just don’t know what’s got into him.”

Malcolm, who has two kids with Cheryl, said he was going to Kilmarnock on July 20 but failed to return home to Motherwell.

Police Scotland said: “Enquiries established he had travelled overseas.”

It is believed Malcolm met Bell on Facebook. A man claiming to be him sent The Scottish Sun a foul-mouthed email about the split.

Cheryl declined to comment.