A CLITHEROE mum-of-three made sure her Leap Day went with a ring, by proposing to her boyfriend live on air.

Katie Wilkinson, 29, even bought her own solitaire diamond sparkler in preparation for the moment she asked Keith Gill, 38, to marry her.

And her big question played out to thousands of listeners on Real Radio’s breakfast show on Wednesday.

listen to ‘lancstelegraph talk about Leap Year Day proposal’ on Audioboom

Katie and Keith, who live near Ribblesdale High School, met eight years ago when he drove her to work in his taxi.

They now have two children together, Taylor, 2 and Jack, 10 weeks, and also Chelsea, 11, Katie’s daughter from a previous relationship.

She said: “He proposed to me three months into the relationship, but as the years went on, I knew nothing was coming of it.

“When I heard about the competition to win a £2,012 discount off a wedding package on the radio last week I didn’t really think much about it, but when I was on the laptop on Sunday night I started looking at the details and entered, never thinking I’d win.

“When the producers rang at 7.45am to say I’d won, my heart stopped. We’d only just got up and had been feeding the baby in the bedroom.

“We’d talked about getting married in the past, so I thought he’d say yes, but there was always a little thought in my mind about what would happen if he said no live on the radio.

“When he said yes, it was a massive weight off my shoulders. I’m so pleased we can now get married - he’s funny, fantastic with the kids, and all I wanted in a man.”

Keith, who is studying computing at the University Centre in Blackburn, said: “The first thing I knew was when she turned round and asked me, it was a complete shock.

“I was always going to say yes - we have three children, so if I’d have said no, it wouldn’t have gone down well!”

The couple are now waiting to hear back from the radio station on the details of the wedding package at the Village Hotel in Warrington.

Traditionally, February 29 is the only day women are supposed to propose to men. If the proposal is rejected, the man is supposed to buy the woman a new dress.