LEAP year is traditionally a time when women can turn the tables and propose to their male partners. On February 29 many women choose to surprise their husbands and ask for their husbands hand in marriage, one such woman was Anne Deakins from Great Dunmow

LEAP year is traditionally a time when women can turn the tables and propose to their male partners.

On February 29 many women choose to surprise their husbands and ask for their husbands hand in marriage, one such woman was Anne Deakins from Great Dunmow.

Anne, a teacher, met her husband, professional artist Tom Deakins, in Romford back in 1987 when she replied to a lonely hearts add placed in a local magazine. She said: "It was the thirteenth I had replied to, but this wasn't to be unlucky for me."

They met face to face on bonfire night in November 1987 and Anne said she remembers because it was the year of the now famous unpredicted hurricane, when Michael Fish told the nation that there wouldn't be one.

After meeting at Romford station the couple hit it off from the start Tom said: "It really has been lovely we communicate really well with each other and never bottle things up."

The proposal came first thing in the morning as soon as Tom had woken up. He said: "I wasn't completely shocked because we had talked about marriage before, but it was such a lovely thing to do so I said yes straight away."

An engagement party was held at the Foakes Hall in Stortford Road, Dunmow, followed by a wedding in Anne's home town of Paisley in Scotland at her family church.

The couple, who live in The Causeway with two their two children Jake and Daniel, celebrated Valentine's Day this year by having a meal, cooked by Tom. He said: "We put the children to bed and had a quiet night in, just the two of us."

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