It was a marriage proposal guaranteed to stick in Emma Morgan's memory - since it was delivered by a six-ton Asian elephant. Her boyfrie...
It was a marriage proposal guaranteed to stick in Emma Morgan's memory - since it was delivered by a six-ton Asian elephant.
Her boyfriend Oliver Thompson persuaded zoo bosses to let him use one of their animals to help him pop the question.
Fortunately, the 23-year-old didn't hesitate to say Yes when the chosen pachyderm, named Marcella, extended its trunk and handed her a ribbon with a ring attached.
Miss Morgan, an optical assistant, said yesterday that she was surprised but delighted when the elephant walked towards her during a day trip to Blackpool Zoo.
"Elephants are my favourite animals so when Oli told me that I was going to be spending the day in the elephant enclosure I was really chuffed.
"Then, this one elephant came up to me and handed me a ribbon. I didn't see the ring at first, but then I smiled at Oli and he opened a box he was holding and handed me my gorgeous engagement ring."
The couple, from Blackpool, met eight years ago while working at the same shop in the resort.
Mr Thompson, 25, an IT worker, had been planning the proposal for several weeks and told Miss Morgan that he had organised a trip to the zoo as a treat for her birthday last month.
He had already bought a white gold and diamond engagement ring but gave the elephant a cheaper ring just in case it was accidentally swallowed.
Zoo marketing manager Jude Rothwell said they had given the couple, who plan to marry next October, a picture painted by Marcella to remind them of their betrothal.
"Oliver is a member of the zoo and he and Emma love elephants, so when he came and asked me if he could propose in this way I couldn't say no.
"I had a word with the elephant keeper and he said that Marcella is very good at picking things up if you drop them - so we arranged for him to drop the ribbon with the ring on it and Marcella picked it up and took it to Emma.
"We used a ring from our gift shop - just in case. If she had eaten the real ring then we would have had to wait 24 hours for the rest of the proposal
Her boyfriend Oliver Thompson persuaded zoo bosses to let him use one of their animals to help him pop the question.
Fortunately, the 23-year-old didn't hesitate to say Yes when the chosen pachyderm, named Marcella, extended its trunk and handed her a ribbon with a ring attached.
Miss Morgan, an optical assistant, said yesterday that she was surprised but delighted when the elephant walked towards her during a day trip to Blackpool Zoo.
"Elephants are my favourite animals so when Oli told me that I was going to be spending the day in the elephant enclosure I was really chuffed.
"Then, this one elephant came up to me and handed me a ribbon. I didn't see the ring at first, but then I smiled at Oli and he opened a box he was holding and handed me my gorgeous engagement ring."
The couple, from Blackpool, met eight years ago while working at the same shop in the resort.
Mr Thompson, 25, an IT worker, had been planning the proposal for several weeks and told Miss Morgan that he had organised a trip to the zoo as a treat for her birthday last month.
He had already bought a white gold and diamond engagement ring but gave the elephant a cheaper ring just in case it was accidentally swallowed.
Zoo marketing manager Jude Rothwell said they had given the couple, who plan to marry next October, a picture painted by Marcella to remind them of their betrothal.
"Oliver is a member of the zoo and he and Emma love elephants, so when he came and asked me if he could propose in this way I couldn't say no.
"I had a word with the elephant keeper and he said that Marcella is very good at picking things up if you drop them - so we arranged for him to drop the ribbon with the ring on it and Marcella picked it up and took it to Emma.
"We used a ring from our gift shop - just in case. If she had eaten the real ring then we would have had to wait 24 hours for the rest of the proposal
COMMENTS