A CLASSROOM might not usually be seen as a the ideal place for a declaration of love, but one man has bucked the trend.

On Saturday, October, 12, Benjamin Ware proposed to Jemima Bushby in the classroom where they first met - and she said yes.

The pair, both from Penarth, first met as pupils at Stanwell School.

Mr Ware said: “Jemima was absolutely shocked. But she was so happy - she said it was the perfect place as it was the start of so many good memories, and that she never anticipated it would happen in Stanwell.

“My first thought when she said yes... I was just ecstatic. The idea for the proposal had been brewing for a while in the background, and both our families were in on it.

“She was under the impression she was going shopping with her mum and I was going golfing with my dad that day.

“By the time she got to the entrance of Stanwell she started to guess what was going on.

“I had a load of foil balloons with photos of us printed on them - the first from when we were really young, just after we met, and they were arranged towards the classroom in chronological order, so the last was from our recent holiday in Tunisia.

“There were also some “will you marry me” balloons in the classroom, which may have given it away.”

The couple are currently living in Southampton.

Mr Ware is a project engineer for subsea cables and renewable energies, while Miss Bushby is a trainee solicitor, qualifying next March.

“We have a few plans going forwards,” said Mr Ware. “We’ve just found a venue for the wedding next year, and we’ve vaguely picked a date, but we’re not telling anybody just yet.

“We’re also planning on returning to live in Penarth after the marriage.”

The school were excited to get in on the romantic story.

“When I asked they were really keen to get involved,” said Mr Ware. “They said it was the first proposal in Stanwell.

“I’m just happy Jemima was fine with going to school on a Saturday.”