A LOVESTRUCK jobseeker stunned an awards ceremony by proposing to his girlfriend when he took to the stage.

Romantic Ian Bell, 36, of Horden, east Durham, wanted to make his proposal to Ann Law, 38, also of Horden, something she would never forget.

He had already toyed with the idea of turning up at Johnson's dry cleaners in Peterlee, which she manages, in a suit of armour, but decided it would be too low-key.

Instead, he chose the moment he received an award from the Easington Action Team for Jobs, at Shotton Hall, Peterlee, in front of 150 people, to pop the question. To the delight of the audience on Thursday night, Ms Law accepted.

Mr Bell, a qualified health and safety officer, got the award for his determination to find work, although he is still looking.

He said: "I've been trying hard to get work and nothing has come up yet but you never know. I've been for a few interviews and got down to the last two or three and that's why they put me down for an award - because of my determination.

"My priority is to marry Ann first but I know I've got to have a good job to keep her."

Although the couple have only been together for eight months, Mr Bell said he knew almost immediately that he wanted to marry Ms Law.

"We were only seeing each other for a month when I told her I loved her and wanted to marry her," he said.

"When I proposed, she was shaking and crying and I was almost crying.

"The place went up - the response was fantastic."

Sonia Goodfellow, of Easington Action Team for Jobs, who was at the ceremony, said: "He just kept saying how much he loved her - it was lovely."