A MAN got down on one knee and asked for his girlfriend’s hand in marriage – straight after they had both run 13 gruelling miles in the Scottish Half Marathon in East Lothian on Saturday!

Graham Burton crossed the line with his girlfriend, 33-year-old Rachel Hodson, in a time of 1hr59m18s before asking her to be his wife.

The 37-year-old, who works as a general technical mechanic in the RAF, told the Courier: “The real ring, unbeknown to my sister Tracy who had my belongings, was in my wallet and I just carried a Haribo sweetie ring in a pouch in my shorts all during the race.

“At the time, I don’t think Rachel was fussed that it was a Haribo ring I offered her!” Graham’s sister was sitting in the grandstand at the finish line at Musselburgh Racecourse and was none the wiser as to her brother’s intentions.

He laughed: “She saw me drop to one knee and thought I felt a bit funny!

“It was only later I asked her if I could have my wallet that I produced the ring.” The couple, from Peterborough, are yet to set a date for the big day, with Graham, who is originally from Loanhead in Midlothian, admitting his future wife was “still in shock”.