Chorley man proposes to girlfriend on mountain top with late nan’s engagement ring and captures her reaction on a drone

James Cole, 39, from Chorley, climbed Haystacks peak, in the Lake District, with Amelia Harrison, 27, before taking out his late nana's engagement ring and asking her to marry him. Adding to the magic, the amateur photographer also set his aerial drone camera in motion at just the right moment to film the romantic scene as it unfolded at sunset.

NHS mental health nurse manager James said he'd been carrying the ring around "for ages" and hadn't planned to get down on one knee on Monday (March 27). However, when the avid hikers summitted the ridge during the late evening with their dog Albus, he decided it was now or never before going on to pop the question.

The couple, who are both nurses, met three-and-a-half years ago while working at Royal Blackburn Infirmary. Amelia, from Rossendale, is a nurse in A&E and James is a nurse manager in mental health. He said "something had aligned" when he bumped into Amelia on a busy A&E ward and they decided to go out for drinks.

He later approached his parents and in-laws about his marriage proposal and chose to offer Amelia his late nanna's diamond engagement ring, which he'd inherited. He said he'd considered popping the question when they went on a road trip to Scotland a few weeks earlier but didn't feel the time was right until last Monday.

James said: "The sun was just starting to go down and we were getting this beautiful orange-pink glow to the sky. So I thought I'd have a go at the drone. We've got a cockapoo, and she was messing around with him.

" And then I asked her if she could come over to me and hold something. She just walked in front of me and I pressed go on the drone, and it counts down from three seconds, and it was almost like a countdown for me - and I had to do it."

Did she say yes?

General nurse Amelia said the pair had discussed tying the knot previously but she had no idea James would propose at that moment - adding it was an "easy yes". She said: "It was quite overwhelming. I think we both shed a tear. He asked me to marry him and it was just lovely. It was just perfect.”

James added: "I think anyone that's got the will and determination will top it no matter what. I wasn't out to set the standard, it was generally something that suited us.

"It's been talked about as the ultimate proposal and setting the bar high. But that wasn't my intention. But seemingly it may have put some pressure on others."

The pair have yet to set a date for their wedding but are hoping to get married somewhere in the Lake District. As proposals go, this one is ‘up’ there with the best!