Joe Tipton proposed to Rachael Abbott at the Sheppey Carnival Court selection ceremony

by Lewis Dyson

Moments after a beauty queen gave up her Miss Sheppey crown, she received a new title – fiancee.

Rachael Abbott thought boyfriend Joe Tipton had gone to work and would miss out on her standing down as the 2012 winner at a selection dance for the new carnival court.

Instead, he had been waiting for two hours in the car park to make his proposal.

Stacey Alliston-Green, a friend of the couple of Unity Street, Sheerness, announced Joe was sorry he could not be there but he had recorded a message.

He started singing Michael Buble's Everything on a microphone in the corridor, before he emerged to applause from the crowded room at Bonds Sports and Social Club, Sheerness.

The 22-year-old planned for four months to get down on one knee at that point because one of the rules states the carnival queen cannot be engaged or married.

His romantic gesture was recorded by a friend before being posted online and viewed by hundreds of people.