Bolton: Engagement at Two Lads, Rivington, captured by photographer

Holly Rackham and her now fiancée David Edmondson from Blackrod set out for a walk to the popular beauty spot Two Lads in Rivington on Sunday, December 11.

Not only was she unaware that her army corporal partner was planning to propose, but it turned out that local photographer Al Straughton and member of The Bolton News Camera Club would unintentionally capture the moment.

Holly, who works in adult social care, says she and David are regular walkers, and Two Lads is a “special place” to them, particularly as it was one of the few places they could get out to during lockdown.

She added: “As far as I was concerned, we were just going for a walk, but when we got to Two Lads he said ‘oh, there’s another reason I’ve brought you up here’, and he got down on one knee and proposed.

The couple can be seen a few moments later embracing (Image: Al Straughton)

“We were only up there for about five minutes because it was so cold. We took a couple of pictures and went back down.

“Later on, I was scrolling through Facebook, and I saw Al’s photos and I thought, there’s no way.”

As it turns out, Al had immortalised the couples’ special moment – but only if you know what you are looking for.

Al said: “I took a photo out of my loft. Then I got this message later asking what time I’d taken it.

“I looked on the time stamp. She said, ‘I hope it was around 12.30pm’ and it was.

“She said, ‘I think you’ve captured my partner proposing to me at Two Lads'.

The couple celebrating their engagement atop Two Lads (Image: Holly Rackham)

“When I zoomed in there is two people there and on the other one you can see two people hugging – obviously she said yes.”

David happened to be wearing a somewhat distinctive stripy coat, which the couple recognised from Al’s photo.

Holly said: “It’s a one-in-a-million chance that he captured that.

“I was so happy, and he seems just a thrilled about it. I was already really overwhelmed by the engagement.

“To anyone else that photograph means nothing, but we know that’s us and it’s when Dave is proposing.”

Al Straughton (Image: Al Straughton)

“I’m a wedding photographer too, so hopefully I’ve got a wedding out of this,” Al added.

“I was just in the right place at the right time at the right moment.

“We’ve been talking since then and they seem like a lovely couple.”

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at lewis.finney@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @lewisfinney18.