Marriage proposal: Watch as South Yorkshire man proposes long-term girlfriend with airplane banner over castle

Daniel Bamford, aged 29, had been planning on ‘popping the question’ since Christmas last year, and said it was possibly the ‘best kept secret’ in order to give his long-term partner, Rebecca MacDonald, the ‘best surprise ever’.

The couple, who have been together for eight years and have two children together, were out for a family gathering at Conisbrough Castle last Friday, June 17, when Rebecca was ‘completely caught by surprise’.

The 26-year-old stated that Daniel kept telling her to go up the hill to the castle, but she had no idea that this would be the most romantic moment of their relationship.

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With their children, two-year-old Alana and seven-month old Oakley in tow, a plane flew overhead with a banner behind it that read “Becca Mac will you marry me?” as soon as they reached the top.

Rebecca said: “I had no idea at all...I got my heels on and he was like, ‘Let's go up the castle’. It was a bit hard to go up the castle so I took my time going up.

“And literally, a minute after being up there, the plane was there and our little girl loves planes and I was like, ‘Aw, that's a plane. What's behind it?’ I really had no clue but after I saw it, I started crying.

“I thought it was a bit strange going up the castle initially and I didn't really think he was going to propose with a plane. It really caught me by surprise.

“He got down on one knee while holding our little girl and I was holding our little boy. It was a scramble but really romantic.”

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Daniel then revealed that this was the third time he had booked the plane after the first two occasions did not go as planned.

He said: “It was actually the third time. The first time was supposed to be on Jubilee weekend, on the 4th but the plane broke down.

“Then the second time was supposed to be the following week in Sheffield but it was too windy. So I asked to do it the week after and tried to do it at the castle. Third time lucky!

“And I'm happy she said yes. I'm not going to lie, I did cry a little bit.”

‘Perfect fit’ ring

He said the couple were then congratulated by their families who had hidden in bushes and climbed to the top of the hill to witness the proposal.

Rebecca said Daniel also managed to find a ring with a ‘perfect fit’ after asking her to try on her mum's ring last November, and he bought the ring in March.

She said: “He had planned this for ages. I don't know how he kept his secret, even my parents didn't know until that morning when he got their permission.”

She said Daniel then planned ‘another surprise’ for her, as he had booked flight tickets to Las Vegas in October, where the wedding will be.

Conisbrough Castle, which noticed the bold proposal, sent the couple well wishes after the proposal.

It wrote on its Facebook page: “A massive congratulations to Daniel Bamford who proposed to his future wife Rebecca at the castle yesterday.

“Did you see the plane banner flying around? A brave move but luckily she said yes!!”