A midwife working during the coronavirus crisis was “shocked” as her boyfriend proposed to her on a north Norfolk beach.
On May 9, Molly Garnett, 24, was in the middle of walking her new puppy along the beach at Sea Palling when 27-year-old estate agent, Luke Bamber, got down on one knee and popped the question.
“I was so shocked and wasn’t expecting it at all,” she said. “I am the luckiest girl in the world.”
The pair met in December 2016 at the LCR bar at University of East Anglia (UEA) while Miss Garnett was training to be a midwife.
Two years later the couple bought their first home together in Sprowston and now have a 16-week old puppy called Pukki.
Miss Garnett is now a midwife based at one of Norfolk’s three main hospitals and has been working throughout the coronavirus crisis while her now-fiancé, who works for Gilson Bailey, is on furlough.
She said: “I was really excited because it was the first time we were able to take the dog for a walk after his vaccinations.
“Then Luke got on one knee, I was so shocked and couldn’t believe it.
“It was the last thing I was expecting, especially with everything going on at the moment.”
The proposal was captured by photographer Jim Barrett-Smith of Just Big Smiles who had been hiding in the sand dunes.
Miss Garnett said: “Luke said he planned to propose in April but struggled to get a ring when lockdown was implemented.
“The shop he went to was able to FaceTime him so he could choose a ring and was still able to propose.
“He came up with the idea to go to Sea Palling beach, I had never been before but it was one of his favourite beaches when he was younger.
“The proposal was perfect, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. He thought of everything.
“We spent the afternoon on FaceTime and Zoom telling our family and friends, they were all thrilled. We just can’t wait to celebrate with them in person.”
The couple plan to get married in September 2022 in a marquee at Miss Garnett’s family home in Surrey.
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