Little did Julie Williamson know that just a year after meeting a tall friendly stranger at a speed dating event that she would be proposing to him on Leap Year Day.

Julie, and Ian Bloomfield met at the event at Quayside, on the Waterfront, in February last year, which was the first ever speed dating night organised by Nicki Yucel.

Julie, from Ipswich, said: “It was the first ever time I’d tried it and I nearly didn’t go because my friend didn’t sign up in time. I met Ian and thought he was quite nice. I think it was fate.”

Once the event was over, Julie and Ian were found to be a match and so arranged to meet for coffee. They soon became inseparable and eventually moved in together in December.

On February 29 this year Julie made lunch for Ian as usual and slipped a ring in his lunchbox along with a card.

She said: “I had completely about forgotten it. Then he came home with a bunch of flowers and said ‘Sorry I didn’t get a chance to eat my lunch today’. Then he said the answer is yes. I wished I met him years ago.”

The pair, who live in Rans Ways, are due to get married in Long Melford on July 7.

Nicki said: “I am over the moon that a marriage has come out of a little idea I had over Christmas of 2011 to run speed dating events. Others can see that Speed Dating can work.”

Her next event is on Monday, with two groups (under 40s and over 40s) at The Quayside. Anyone interested can call her on 0780 8974625 or visit www.changeurdestiny.co.uk.