BLAENAVON’S Big Pit is renowned for being one of Wales’ most iconic heritage sites. But few can imagine it as the ideal setting for a marriage proposal – until now.

Laura Murphy, who is originally from Magor but now lives in Leicester, proposed to her boyfriend halfway through the coal museum’s underground tour on Saturday.

Miss Murphy, 25, went down on one knee in pitch darkness in front of future husband Callum Tharratt and proposed to him in front of a bemused party of 17 visitors and staff.

She said: “When I first rang the Big Pit, the staff thought it was a prank call because they hadn’t heard of anything like this before.

“But it was absolutely amazing.

They couldn’t have done more for us down there. “The staff were in on it, and they turned off the lights so I could go down and kneel.

Callum thought I had fallen down, but when the lights went back on, I proposed to him.

“There were tears and laughter. He was speechless.”

Miss Murphy went to Wyedean Comprehensive in Chepstow but moved to Leicester seven years ago where she currently studies as a nurse at De Montfort University.

She met Leicester man Mr Tharratt, 24, who works as a carpenter for his family business, through mutual friends.

Miss Murphy’s grandmother Barbara Reid, who lives in Caldicot, said: “Callum has always been fascinated with Wales and he loves it down here. He wanted to go to the Big Pit ever sincemyhusband mentioned it to him. But I don’t think he was expecting this.

“It’s quite exciting. She’s always been imaginative and original, you’ve got to give her that!”

The couple want to get married at Tintern Abbey, but have not ruled out Big Pit.

“Hopefully we’ll get married next summer, and hopefully it will be at Tintern,” added Miss Murphy “but we might end up down the Big Pit again, who knows!”