When two police officers came across a woman being dragged out of a car at a bus stop whilst blindfolded, they were perhaps somewhat justified in having a little concern.
However when they went to investigate, they found it was not a daring kidnap which was unfolding before their eyes but long-distance lorry driver Mervyn Kent organising a surprise proposal for the love of his life, Dawn James.
The couple, of Lloyds Avenue, Kessingland, had met at the bus stop outside the Bear and Bells public house, in Old Market, Beccles about four years ago. Miss James was boarding as a passenger on a coach driven by Mr Kent, who was then a bus driver, to take her to a Barry Manilow concert.
So when he decided eight months ago that he finally wanted to pop the question, he hatched a plan to propose at the place where they first met.
Mr Kent, who had been dropping cryptic hints for months that his wife-to-be was going to get some sort of special gift on Christmas Day, said: 'I ran through it in my head while I was working and I came up over the months with this plan. I was just going through my head how it was going to happen.'
But he had not envisaged the law being involved.
'I was saying to her she could have this present on Christmas Day,' he said. 'She said she couldn't wait any longer and had to have it at midnight.
'I thought she can't really know where we're going, as it could be a clue to the route we were going to take - so I had to blindfold her so she didn't know where we were driving to.'
Mr Kent then delivered a heart-wrenching poem which he had dreamed up while out on the road, while Miss James' mother, Evelyn Welch, 78 – who had come along because she wanted to see the happy moment – watched from the sidelines.
However he said: 'What I didn't know is that a police car had pulled up outside the bus stop and had actually reversed back up to get a better look and see what was going on. I didn't take any notice of them because I was wanted to do my bit that I had to do. It was only afterwards when Dawn's mum had said what was going on.'
Mrs Welch had reassured the officers that nothing untoward was happening and that the couple in fact in the midst of one of the happiest moments of their lives.
One of the officers then returned, eager to know whether Miss James had said yes.
'I was beginning to wonder myself as she hadn't actually given me an answer,' Mr Kent said. 'Then, all of a sudden, she said yes.
'Dawn was so excited. I believe the policeman said something like: 'Congratulations, that's very romantic,' or something similar.'
Miss James said: 'I can't believe he went to so much trouble to arrange things and think about how he was going to do it. And not everyone can say that they had the police involved.'
The pair plan to have a big church wedding next year and are now hoping to track down the two officers they can recreate the romantic moment.
Do you know who the two policemen were? Contact Andrew Papworth on 01502 525825 or email andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk
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