As Andrew Bush pounded round the gruelling London marathon route he had more on his mind than just reaching the finishing line.
Emblazoned on the back of his T-shirt was the plea "Sarah, will you marry me?"
His partner of over five years, Sarah Ginbey, was there in the crowds with their four-month-old daughter, Sophie-Jayne.
She had driven him to the start, but at that stage the message was concealed under a second T-shirt.
Sarah, 22, who ran last year's marathon while she was unknowingly pregnant with Sophie-Jayne, said: "We tried to see him at the Cutty Sark but it was too packed. We didn't see him again until 14 miles but then I could not read the back of his T-shirt, so I didn't realise until 20 miles.
"I didn't know what to do. Obviously, I was really chuffed. I rang my mum and cried.
"I had no idea it was coming. We had talked about it but he never hinted he was going to ask. It was a bit of a shock and a lovely surprise."
But it was another six miles before Andrew, a 23-year-old surveyor of Merrivale, Benfleet finally got his answer.
Sarah's acceptance and his heroic feat made it an unforgettable day.
As an extra bonus, Andrew now has £1,200 to hand to the local branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Sarah's aunt died of the disease last year.
Published Monday, April 21, 2003
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