It has certainly been a happy new year for one Kent couple who got engaged after a romantic but unusual proposal.

Reuben Skeats proposed to his girlfriend Erika Danton on Christmas Eve in the very same spot they had their second date eight years ago at Reculver Cliffs.

The 25-year-old told KentOnline: “We wrote out our names with the shells like in the picture and I thought a unique idea would be to replicate that date.

“I had my dad and two siblings arrive an hour before us to put the shells out and told Erika we should go for a walk.

“I think she had a slight suspicion when I booked the day off work and wanted to go out but she was surprised.”

His family had arranged a series of small, white shells found along the shore into a love heart and spelt out the big question: “Erika, will you marry me?”

Thankfully, no other Erikas were walking along the Bishopstone area at the time to accept the marriage proposal.

Reuben added: “She did say there was a split second where she thought there might be another Erika who it was meant for.”

The couple have known each other since they were around three years old after meeting at Herne Bay Infants’ School.

They then followed each other to Herne Bay Junior School and Herne Bay High School where they became close and started dating while in sixth form.

The 25-year-olds then attended Aberystwyth University in Wales, before living in Bristol after they graduated.

This year, the pair moved back to Herne Bay making it the perfect time to return to their old stomping grounds for Reuben to pop the question.

He proposed to Erika on the beach with an alexandrite ring with emerald accents.

In the days after the proposal, an eagle-eyed passerby noticed the shell heart still laid out in the sand and posted a picture hoping to track down the couple, intrigued if Erika said yes.

“I certainly hoped she would say yes and she did straight away,” Reuben confirmed. “One person even clapped as they went past.

“It is a really exciting time. With it being Christmas and the New Year we were able to tell our family straight away and celebrate.

“We have not set a date or anything just yet but we have started thinking about what we would want.”