Marriage proposal couple rescued

Two lovers were rescued as they drifted out to sea following a romantic marriage proposal in a dinghy.

Colin Howell, 35, enjoyed a champagne picnic with his girlfriend, Miriam Light, 26, before setting out from Cromer in Norfolk to pop the question.

The alarm was raised on Friday night after onlookers from Cromer Pier saw the boat more than a mile from the beach in windy conditions.



The couple, dressed in full evening wear, were rescued by a fishing boat.

"A fishing crew from Sheringham tugged us back towards Cromer to an applauding crowd on the beach, so we had a wide audience and it just sealed the evening really. I was dressed in a tweed waistcoat and bow tie," said Mr Howell.

A coastguard spokeswoman said the lifeboat crew was "surprised" when they met the couple. "Instead of the normal garb, they had evening wear on," she said. "It wasn't quite what they expected to find."