A Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) nurse has caused a social media frenzy when he proposed to his girlfriend in a branch of Iceland after a romantic trip to the country of the same name was cancelled due to coronavirus (Covid-19).

Charge Nurse, Robert Ormsby, took the initiative after their holiday to Reykjavik was cancelled because of the pandemic. He decided to pop into his local Tonbridge store earlier this week under the pretence of ‘picking up a few bits’.

Once inside, Robert dropped down on one knee in an empty aisle within the supermarket and popped the question to his shocked girlfriend, who graciously accepted the proposal.

The couple then happily posed for a photograph near the checkout as they left and gave permission for the company to post the images on social media, which received over 100,000 likes, shares and comments on Facebook.

Robert, who coincidentally used to be an employee for the supermarket in the 1980’s and now works within MTW’s operating theatres, said: “I wanted to cheer my partner up by doing something that was humorous to make up for what we were going to miss.”

MTW’s Chief of Surgery, Greg Lawton,added: “We’d like to pass on huge congratulations to the happy couple and thank them for raising many smiles during this challenging time for us all.”