Popstar Ed Sheeran has announced his engagement to his long-term girlfriend.

The musician, from Framlingham, revealed on Instagram that he and Cherry Seaborn are engaged.

Sharing a photograph of them together to his more than 18m followers, he wrote: 'Got myself a fiance just before new year. We are very happy and in love, and our cats are chuffed as well xx.'

The post received more than 500,000 likes by fans in just 20mins.

The announcement has also raised question marks over whether the couple will get married in Suffolk, with St Michael's Church, Bruisyard Hall, Easton Grange and Crows Hall all being mooted as potential venues.

But those hoping Ed will wed at his beloved Framlingham Castle, the historic landmark referenced on his hit song Castle on the Hill, will be left disappointed – the venue doesn't have a wedding licence.

Last year the singer credited Miss Seaborn, who he has reportedly been dating since 2015, with nursing him back to health after he was involved in a bicycle accident.

He told the Capital Breakfast Show that she 'had to brush my teeth', and later added she is a 'good woman'.

During an interview last year he also sang Seaborn's praises, saying: 'It's awesome meeting famous people. But that's not life. That's not reality. One day this will end.

'And I know the one person that's going to remain constant is Cherry. I should just enjoy this while it's there but not let it become my reality. Because that's not the reality I want to live in.'

The singer-songwriter's third studio album Divide has had a successful run of topping the charts and his single Perfect - which he has reportedly said was inspired by Miss Seaborn - was the Christmas number one.