A PROPOSAL of marriage went swimmingly well for two members of staff at St Andrew?s School in Buckland Monachorum. Teaching assistant Nick Lewis persuaded the pupils to help him propose to girlfriend Lucy McKee, who teaches Year 3, during their swimming gala on Friday, July 21 by holding up placards, and was ?very relieved? when she said yes. ?It meant she didn?t have to go in the pool!? he said, adding that he also dressed in a crocodile costume with the head ready to put on to hide his ?crocodile tears? should she say no! The couple, who have been going out together for four years, moved down from Edinburgh last year, but kept the fact they were going out a secret from pupils, who initially thought it was a practical joke. ?It was my last day at the school as I start training as a secondary school drama teacher in September, and I wanted to do something that would be a surprise and embarrassing enough she couldn?t say no,? Nick said. Once the pupils realised it was for real, they clapped and cheered. ?The girls were in tears,? he said. ?We had kept the fact we were going out well hidden.? The couple plan to marry on August 3 next year.
