THEY say Italian cuisine is the food of love and it certainly rang true for one Suffolk couple.For love-struck Mandy Miller popped the question to her partner on Thursday - in the pasta aisle of her local Asda supermarket.

By Danielle Nuttall

THEY say Italian cuisine is the food of love and it certainly rang true for one Suffolk couple.

For love-struck Mandy Miller popped the question to her partner on Thursday - in the pasta aisle of her local Asda supermarket.

The 40-year-old decided to inject a little romance into the couple's weekly shop by proposing to Ian Ross, her boyfriend of 19 months, at the Stowmarket branch of the supermarket chain.

After sending him away with the shopping list, Miss Miller approached staff and asked them to read her personal message over the speaker before dashing back to her partner.

“When they spoke on the microphone I squeezed his hand so he knew it was a message for him,” she said.

“He had no idea at all. At first he went bright red but once it sunk in he cried. Of course he said 'yes'. But he was very shocked.”

Miss Miller, from Haughley, said she been thinking of a way to propose for weeks, before finally deciding to march him down the supermarket aisle.

“I wanted to find the right time. With his birthday coming up on Sunday, it was ideal,” she said.

“I thought we always go shopping there. We have always been happy and smiley as we go round the shop. I thought it was a better place than anywhere. I will always remember it because I'm always here.”

Mr Ross, 37, added: “I was overwhelmed. I said yes. You could say it was out of the blue - I didn't expect it. It's a fantastic birthday present.”

Managers provided the icing on the cake by presenting the couple with a congratulatory bunch of flowers.

Christine Lucas, events co-ordinator at Stowmarket Asda, said: “It was very exciting. We've never had a proposal in our store before so we were really pleased.

“Everyone joined in clapping and cheering. The whole store heard it.”