A florist in Gateshead helped a dream come true by playing Cupid on Valentine’s Day for Gemma Mallows and her boyfriend, Dan Little.

Rose Petals by Elizabeth Anne in Winlaton delivered a beautiful bouquet of a dozen red Roses, with a romantic extra that Gemma wasn’t expecting.

Elizabeth Anne Jones, owner of the flower shop, delivered the flowers and told Gemma to open the Crunchie bag it came with, containing a glistening diamond ring!

Leaping in the air, she called her boyfriend, 24-year-old Dan, to say just one word: “yes”.

Elizabeth was given the white gold ring to keep with the flowers over the weekend. She said: “He gave me the most beautiful diamond engagement ring. I thought ‘he’s never met me – how much has he put his trust in me as the local florist’.”

Gemma, who works as a beauty adviser at the Metrocentre House of Fraser, said: “I nearly died when I opened the door. I had just got a card so I didn’t expect anything. I didn’t think we were doing anything for Valentine’s and then when I saw all of that I thought ‘God’. When the lady gave me the gift I thought it was a charm or something when I saw the white box – I didn’t think it was an engagement ring.”

She told all her colleagues but the news hadn’t sunk in. “I’m totally shocked. I haven’t set a date or anything yet. I want to get married on a beach, I think – whatever he says.”