A man got down on bended knee to pop the question to his girlfriend following a Strictly Come Dancing-inspired routine in the Eden shopping centre at the weekend.

Craig Plested has been organising the surprise for months, with the help of Eden Shopping Centre management.

Saturday marked the couple’s two year anniversary and the town’s shopping centre holds lots of happy memories for the pair, who met in Nando’s and shared their first kiss outside the House of Fraser.

At about 1pm, dancers from Come Dancing With Me took to the floor outside the House of Fraser and began performing a number of routines.

At about 1.10pm, Mr Plested and Shelley Horseman left the department store and joined the crowds which had gathered outside.

While the couple stood there, watching the dancers, their favourite song called Everything, by Lifehouse, was played over the sound system.

Towards the end of the song, Mr Plested, 35, knelt down and asked his 32-year-old partner to marry him.

Dancers also held up signs, which when put together read: “Shelley will you marry me?”

She accepted.

Speaking after the proposal, Miss Horseman, a sales administrator, said: “I’m in shock. I’m shaking but I’m sure it’ll sink in in time.

“I was not able to enjoy the dance routine much because I needed to go to the toilet. But I’m so happy.”

Although the timing of the proposal came as a shock to Miss Horseman, the ring was exactly what she wanted as she handpicked the special piece of jewellery earlier this year.

Mr Plested said he always wanted to propose in the shopping centre due to its special significance to the couple, although a dance routine was not the first idea that popped into his head.

The fire safety engineering technician said: “I originally wanted a live band to play our song but the band I got just murdered our song.”

Miss Horseman added: “I like my dancing so this was lovely.”