Love was certainly in the air for one Gloucestershire couple who got engaged in a Virgin hot air balloon 3,000 feet above the county.
While England were playing USA in the World Cup on June 12, Rob Blagden, 37, was busy surprising partner Joy Buddin by getting down on one knee during their balloon flight from Kemble Airfield near Cirencester.
The couple, from Bristol Road, Gloucester, have been together since January and were flying to mark Joy’s 50th birthday that day so they enjoyed a double celebration with a traditional glass of champagne after landing.
Joy said she had no idea that Rob was planning to pop the question and a hot air balloon high in the sky was the perfect place for a proposal.
Rob said he was delighted when Joy said yes and the day could not have gone better. They are now planning to get married in October.
“We were both surprised at how warm it was up at 3000ft and were very pleased to see how much green space there still is in the county,” he said.
“Our pilot Nobby was fantastic and, although we prepared for a bumpy landing, it was so gentle we didn’t even realise we had touched
down. The whole experience was brilliant.”
Virgin Balloon Flights’ pilot Mark Simmons, known as Nobby, said: “We had a fantastic flight from Cirencester that evening and it was a wonderful moment when Rob proposed to Joy. When she said yes the other passengers and I gave them a cheer and wished them all the best for the future”.
Mark and all his fellow Virgin balloon pilots in England are supporting the national team during the World Cup by displaying St George's Cross flags on their baskets.