Romantic Sally Metcalf took a leap of faith and proposed marriage to her partner 135 metres above London.

Ms Metcalf, 40, from Faringdon Road, Southmoor, sprang her leap year surprise on partner Stephen Metcalf, 39, during a ride on the London Eye on Friday - February 29.

The mum-of-three said: "I planned it for a year, but as far as Steve was concerned we were just going for a day out in London.

"I started to feel sick before we had even got on the wheel, but as we reached the top, and even though there were another eight people in the pod with us, I got out a ring, dropped to one knee and popped the question."

The couple have been together since 1999 and have two of their own children, Jack, five, and Katherine, four, and a daughter, Emily, 11, from Sally's previous marriage.

Ms Metcalf, who works at Frost's garden centre, Frilford, said: "I have already taken Steve's surname and we have talked about getting married, but I wanted him to commit to a date and thought, well, it's leap year, I'll take matters into my own hands.

"All our friends and family knew what I was planning - apart from Steve."

She added: "I suppose I was pretty nervous when it came to proposing and I must have asked him to marry me pretty quietly, because he stopped taking pictures, and said: "Sorry, I didn't hear you". So I had to say it again!

"I could see the other passengers nudging each other - they must have wondered what I was doing.

"But when he said: 'Yes, I'll marry you any day', they all thought it was fantastic."

The couple spent Friday night at the Paramount Hotel in Wolvercote - the second part of Sally's leap year surprise.

They plan to marry next May.

The happy bride-to-be said: "The children are over the moon about it. It was nerve-wracking proposing, but I'm so glad I took the plunge."

The leap year also brought a surprise proposal for father-to-be Dezi-Jay Smith.

Mr Smith's partner Kaylee Bremner, 21, from Oxford, employed a waiter at the Longwall restaurant in Cowley to help her pop the question.

She explained: "Dezi and I were having dinner with friends and when he went outside for a smoke I asked a waiter to deliver a ring I had bought, on a tray with his favourite drink.

"When the waiter came up to our table and put the tray in front of him, Dezi sat there for about 10 minutes stunned, just looking at it.

"I just sat there eating ice cream as if nothing was happening and then he looked at me and said: "Yes I will," before grabbing hold of me and giving me a big kiss."

Marriage isn't the only nice surprise Mr Smith, 20, has received in recent months - the couple are expecting their first child in June.

Ms Bremner, who lives with her mum Michaela, the landlady of the Donnington Arms, in Howard Street, Oxford, said: "After the meal we went back to the Donnington Arms and the whole pub cheered."