There was some good news for the family of missing airman Corrie McKeague today when his brother announced on national TV that he was going to marry a woman he met while searching for the serviceman.

The 22-year-old first struck up a conversation with Leah McElrea, from Needham Market, as they both handed out leaflets in Bury St Edmunds.

Speaking on Lorraine’s TV show Darroch said: “I lost my best friend but I found my new best friend and I couldn’t be any happier with her.”

Leah added: “I thank Corrie every single day for bringing us together but if I could give Darroch his brother back and I would not have my happiness, I would give that to him.”

She said that she felt compelled to join in the hunt for Corrie as her older brother was in the army and said there was an instant spark between the pair.

The pair grew close riding horses together.

Darroch popped the question on December 1 at a charity ball held in aid of SULSAR – a search team that helped to look for Corrie and they will be getting married later this month.

Darroch added: “I lost my best friend but I found my new best friend and I couldn’t be any happier with her.”

Leah wrote on Facebook: “Myself and Darroch would like to say a big thank you to everyone, I am totally shocked Darroch asked me to marry him and I can’t quite take this big smile of my face.

“I never in a million years thought I would ever meet the love of my life this way.”