A holiday birthday trip to the Isle of Man turned into a life-changing moment for a Cambridgeshire woman after her partner of seven years proposed inside the tapir enclosure at Curraghs Wildlife Park.

Xanthe, who was visiting the island with her boyfriend Marc, said she was ‘blown away’ by the surprise proposal during a visit that had been planned as part of her birthday celebrations.

The couple, who live in Cambridgeshire, had chosen the wildlife park in Ballaugh as a birthday treat, with Xanthe keen to see the animals, particularly the capybaras and tapirs.

Marc, who has family connections to the Isle of Man through his grandmother, said the visit was part of a wider holiday to the island, which he had visited on previous occasions.

Speaking after the proposal, Xanthe said she had no idea what was about to happen. ‘No, I didn’t even suspect anything,’ she said. ‘It was just a holiday to celebrate my birthday!’

The pair enjoyed one of the park’s feeding experiences, which Marc had suggested as a birthday gift.

It was during this visit, surrounded by wildlife and unaware of what was about to unfold, that Marc dropped to one knee.

Recalling the moment, Xanthe said she initially thought her partner was simply taking photographs.

‘I was petting the capybaras and he wanted me to turn around for a picture,’ she said. ‘I turned around, and I couldn’t see him at first. Then I realised he was on one knee.’

The moment, she said, quickly turned from confusion to shock and overwhelming happiness. ‘I was in shock, but in a good way. Really happy.’

The proposal was witnessed by members of Marc’s family, including his uncle and grandmother, as well as staff at the wildlife park.

Curraghs Wildlife Park also shared the news on social media, congratulating the couple.

In a post, the park said: ‘Congratulations, Marc popped the question today, to his lovely girlfriend Xanthe and she said yes!

‘Louka the Tapir took it all in her stride... as if it was a normal part of the animal experience’.

The post quickly attracted attention from visitors and locals alike, celebrating the unexpected romantic moment among the park’s residents.

Xanthe said she had enjoyed the experience at the wildlife park and was particularly fond of the animals, especially the capybaras and tapirs, which provided an unusual but fitting backdrop to the proposal.

The couple, who have been together for seven years and described their relationship as having had ‘ups and downs like anyone else,’ are now looking forward to spending the rest of their holiday on the island.

They are due to return to Cambridgeshire on Saturday, but have already discussed plans to come back to the Isle of Man in the future, with a visit for the TT races next year among their ideas.

Wedding plans, however, are still very much in the early stages.

For now, Xanthe says her and Marc are ‘simply enjoying the moment’ and the unexpected twist her birthday trip took.