Last updated at 20:55, Thursday, 09 August 2012

A Cockermouth woman has described the moment she received the perfect marriage proposal.

LOVE ME TENDER: Cockermouth’s David Varty planned a romantic proposal for Sharon Parker on a trip to Leeds

Sharon Parker, 36, of Main Street, was stunned when David Varty popped the question – with a rousing gospel choir to support him.

David took Sharon to see the musical Dirty Dancing in Leeds before visiting the city’s Millennium Square, where he had arranged for gospel choir Souls of Prophecy to perform for her, after Sharon had mentioned that she would like the choir for her wedding.

They sang Elvis Presley’s Love Me Tender before performing Sharon’s favourite I’ll Be Loving You, by New Kids on the Block, and then You To Me Are Everything by The Real Thing.

David then presented Sharon with a musical jewellery box, by Jean Paul Gaultier, that Sharon had wanted, which also played Love Me Tender.

He popped the question by presenting Sharon with an engagement ring that she had also envied.

David had invented a cover story beforehand by saying that a woman from Silloth had already bought the ring.

Sharon, manager of Hunter’s bar in Main Street, said: “David had thought of everything I had ever mentioned.

“I’d seen the ring in Walkers and told David about it.

“When I was manager of Bodycare in Workington I showed him the box I wanted. It is about five years old and I don’t think they even make them now.

“When we started our relationship I said that if someone took me to Dirty Dancing and bought me the box I would marry them.

“I can’t describe how I felt. He is a rugby coach who deals with men with muscles so I wouldn’t have thought he would do anything like that.”

David, 42, who works at Sellafield and coaches Cockermouth Titans, said: “I just listened to what Sharon had been telling me and kept it all in the back of my head.

“She is a special girl so I wanted the proposal to be special.”

The couple plan to marry in June 2014, with the gospel choir due to play a part in their day.

First published at 19:19, Thursday, 09 August 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk