SMITTEN Tim Lane received the 'yes' he was hoping for after proposing to his future wife on the front page of the Echo.
Every week he and his fiance, Nikki Jones, buy the paper without fail.
But when he walked to the shops to purchase the latest edition on Saturday, he knew it would change their lives forever.
"I was fairly confident she would say yes but it was a bit nerve-racking," said the 32-year-old consultant project manager from Wyman's Brook.
"I was just glad that the shop opened at 7am so I could buy a paper.
"Nikki was very surprised when she saw it. She just started crying straight away and obviously she said 'yes'.
"She definitely wasn't expecting it.
"I told her that I had my picture in the paper for an event in Cheltenham.
"And, when she asked how I knew it was going in, I told her it's because I was called to check the spelling of my name.
"I asked her dad if I could marry her beforehand and some of my immediate family knew what I had planned.
"Throughout the day, we had calls from many of our friends who had seen it in the paper to ask how it went." Nikki celebrated her 35th birthday on Saturday.
She said it was the best present she could receive.
"I was just completely shocked," said Nikki, who was overjoyed at the proposal.
"I thought it was very sweet.
"He obviously wanted to do something a bit different and he did have some other ideas.
"All my friends were sworn to secrecy and I haven't stopped getting texts and messages of congratulations.
"We've been talking about a wedding date but I think we will wait until next summer.
"I want to get the front page of the Echo laminated so we can keep it to look back on. "I couldn't have asked for a better present.
"It will probably go nicely with our wedding photos."
The Cheltenham couple met almost 13 years ago at Time Nightclub, now Lace, in the High Street.
The elaborate proposal wasn't the only idea Tim had in mind.
He was keen to do something memorable and opted for the Echo because it would surprise her.
"It was a nice present for her," added Tim, father of three-year-old Tilly and six-year-old Sam.
"I did think about possibly taking Nikki up in a hot air balloon and writing 'Will you marry me?' in a field at the racecourse.
"But we buy the Echo every Saturday and I thought it would be a nice idea."
