When Exeter Chiefs rugby Club fan Stewart Ley went to the game at Sandy Park on Saturday the last thing on his mind for once was how well his beloved team might fare against Harlequins.

For Stewart, a 37-year-old production worker from Ipplepen, had a much more important match in mind – that with his partner of three-and-a-half years, Mandy Corfield.

And in front of 8,700 fans, Mandy said yes to his half-time proposal of marriage.

Thanks to a lucky break on Palm 105.5FM's Breakfast with Ben show, Stewart had a ticket to take part in the half-time Crossbar Challenge.

Sadly his chance to win a goody bag from the game's sponsors quickly disappeared however with his failure to kick a ball clean between the posts.

But his luck was about to change for the better as canny Stewart had been busy behind the scenes and, still on the pitch, soon had a microphone in hand and was calling Mandy, 47, down from the terraces.

'It was a bit of a tricky moment but after that it went as well as it could have,' he said.

The reasons for Stewart's delight, just two days before Valentine's Day, was that once Mandy, 47, had joined him on the turf he then proposed and, to rapturous applause, she said yes.

'To be honest I didn't even really notice the crowd thanks to the butterflies,' he said.

'I think though the biggest cheer of the day was when Mandy said yes. 'Afterwards I felt like royalty or someone famous as I had complete strangers coming up to me, shaking my hand and offering me their congratulations, it was just a fantastic day.'

The couple, who live together in Ipplepen and who met at work in Totnes, intend to marry as and when time and money allows.

'Mandy lost her mum last year and I promised then I'd always look after her and I will, I love her completely,' said Stewart.

For the record the Chiefs beat Quins 20 - 6 so all in all it was a pretty good day for Stewart.

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