Gareth and Laura are planning to get married next summer

Gareth Richards from Creigiau in Cardiff decided to pop the question to his girlfriend Laura Clements on stage during a Christmas panto they were both starring in at the Congress Theatre in Cwmbran.

"I would have killed her if she had said no!" he said.

"It was my mum's idea to propose at the end of the show.

"We had two shows that day and in between them I had a chat with the director and my mates to tell them what I was doing."

The drama student explained how he had to wait nervously until the end of their performance then pretended that he wanted to thank the audience.

I was trying not to cry on stage but I couldn't help it Laura Clements

"I told them Laura was my girlfriend in real life and then I did it," he said.

"I got down on one knee and the whole place erupted - I had to tell the audience to be quiet so I could pop the question.

"Laura squeaked out a yes because she was in tears," he added.

Laura, 22, who is from Penarth, admitted being shocked by Gareth's surprise encore at the end of the show.

She said: "I wondered what on earth he was doing - I thought he was going to sing Happy Birthday to a friend of ours."

Laura said she did not think he would ever ask her, and described the proposal as a "dream come true."

"I was trying not to cry on stage but I couldn't help it."

The couple were playing Prince Tarragon and Princess Violet in Floella the Ice Witch.

Gareth, who is 20, said he wanted to surprise Laura at the end of their performance on Sunday night.

The couple are planning to get married next summer.