Ice hockey player proposes to his figure skater girlfriend on ice of the rink where they first met as leisure venues reopen in England
- Tony Shard met girlfriend Nadine Fontaine-Palmer at the Streatham ice rink
- So he decided he’d propose at the venue – but then the pandemic struck
- Yesterday ice rinks, along with casinos and bowling alleys, opened in England
- Mr Shard was able to skate across and slide towards his love on one knee
An ice hockey player has proposed to his figure skater girlfriend on an ice rink where they first met after leisure venues reopened in England.
Tony Shard, a gas engineer, had been planning to propose to his girlfriend Nadine Fontaine-Palmer at the Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre in south London, where they first met.
His plans were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, which closed businesses across the country.
However, ice rinks were one of the leisure venues allowed to reopen for the first time in months on Saturday, alongside casinos and bowling alleys.
Tony Shard gets down on one knee before his girlfriend Nadine Fontaine-Palmer at the Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre in south London, where they first met
The pair embraced after their romantic engagement on the ice
Mr Shard took the opportunity to propose to Miss Fontaine-Palmer, a legal adviser.
He told the PA news agency: ‘We originally met here over a year and a half ago and I had it in my mind that I would propose in the place where we met.
‘So I had it arranged and then obviously Covid happened and I was a little bit disheartened.
‘Then I got an email a couple of days ago which said the rink is back…I had to just get a few people in line and give me a heads up on when it was actually opening up.
‘I just got it done ad hoc when I got here.’
Ms Fontaine-Palmer appeared to be overwhelmed by the turn of events at the Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre in south London
Mr Shard skated up to his girlfriend and slid on to one knee while still moving towards her with a ring box in hand.
Miss Fontaine-Palmer said yes, prompting cheers and celebration from the other skaters.
She told PA: ‘It was very overwhelming, all of our friends, our communities, our families, it was nice to have everybody here.
‘This is where we fell in love, where we met, so it’s the perfect place really.’