A FORMER Wharfedale rugby player is going to face the biggest conversion of his life.

For 33-year-old Jonathan Riddiough, of Cross Hills, accepted a surprise leap year marriage proposal from his girlfriend of almost a year, Jayne Wilson.

Twenty-seven-year old Jayne, also of Cross Hills, decided against a traditional proposal and instead took full advantage of the leap year rule, which allows women to propose to their future spouses on February 29.

And to ensure plumber Jonathan didn't miss the signs, Jayne decided to decorate his work van and employed the help of a professional sign writer to inscribe the words "Jonathan: Will you marry me?" on his parents' shop window right in the centre of Cross Hills.

Jayne, of North Street, said it had taken a "real family conspiracy" to spring the surprise, with her getting help from her parents Robena and Stuart Wilson, of Glusburn, and Jonathan's parents, Brian and Maureen Riddiough, who own Riddiough's hardware store in Cross Hills.

Jayne told the Herald on Tuesday: "Last night I sneaked out with Maureen and my mum and dad and did the shop display. Then in the middle of the night, mum and dad came round and decorated the windows of the house and his van. We put balloons, vinyl stickers and lipstick all over them. I hardly slept at all and was up and down all the time."

Jayne added that Jonathan's initial reaction was one of shock when he awoke.

"He said yes, but he looked like a ghost! He said there was no way he was going to drive his van up the main street to get to work and that it was so public and that everyone was going to know. I ended up having to drive the van up the main road through Cross Hills, he then saw the window of the shop and double died!

"He was even late for his first job because he had to clean his van up," Jayne added.

The couple met on Bank Holiday May Day less than a year ago, when Jayne went to watch a friend's boyfriend play rugby for Wharfedale.

Jonathan was also a player for the club at the time, and had a spell as a first team player. Unfortunately he no longer plays as much due to a knee injury.

The two had also known each other for a few years before that as their parents were friends.

Jayne, who also attends a teacher-training course at Keighley Tech, added: "We had talked about marriage for quite a while, so I kind of had an idea it was what we wanted. He said I had spoilt his fun and that he was going to ask me in the summer, but I just thought I'd go for it big style."

o Mark Reason, manager of Skipton's radio station Fresh AM, was also on the receiving end of a marriage proposal when girlfriend Sarah Smithies popped the question over the airwaves.

"There was a lot of dead air, but he did eventually say yes," said fellow presenter Becky Hall.

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