Dangling from a hot air balloon 2,000ft above ground is nerve-racking enough, but for one man the pressure was multiplied as he got down on one knee to propose to his girlfriend.

Love took off when Rupen Shah surprised his girlfriend Nilma by asking her to marry him when they took to the skies on Saturday, October 1.

Luckily Nilma said yes and the couple have been on cloud nine ever since.

Mr Shah, 27, said: “I had a whole speech prepared but I forgot it all as soon as we were up in the air I was so nervous.

“I just wanted to do something unique. All my friends have taken their girlfriends to Venice or Paris to propose so it was good to do something different.

“It was brilliant and she was speechless for hours after and has been raving about it since.”

The couple, who have held a flame for each other since they met 20 months ago, had never been in a hot air balloon before and although they had chosen an engagement ring together Nilma had no idea of what was in store for her.

She said: “It was a big surprise, I wasn’t expecting it at all.

“It was really nice, the weather was perfect and it was a smooth take off. The whole moment was really brilliant, it was really romantic.”

Mr Shah had originally planned to propose on Nilma’s 27th birthday in June but due to bad weather had to postpone the day.

He said: “When the first one got cancelled I was quite heartbroken but Nilma was pretty good about it.

“I gave her the tickets on her birthday so she just thought it was for that and wasn’t expecting anything.”

Nilma, who is an accountant and lives in New Malden, said they are looking forward to their wedding, which they have planned for June next year.