A sheep shearer proposed to his girlfriend with the help of a sheep.

Michael Osbourne, a shearer and farm hand, proposed to Bryony Kneale, Isle of Man Young Farmers secretary, on August 3.

Following a day of sheep shearing at The Rheast sheep pens on the Bhien-y-Phott, just off the Mountain Road, Michael got down on one knee.

The 30-year-old said: ’One of the colleagues we were working with spray painted a sheep with the proposal and I pulled it out and she originally thought I was joking.

’She sort of laughed it off at first and then my other friend had the ring and he threw it over to me.

’I got down on one knee and she finally believed it at that point.’

Bryony added: ’When he pulled the sheep out that said "will you marry me?", he was laughing and I turned around to carry on what I was doing with work.

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’I found it funny, I played it off thinking it was a joke and then he said "no, really" and that’s when he was chucked the box and I was saying "it’s a joke, it’s a joke".

’He then got down on one knee and the first thing I said was "did you ask my dad?". He did.’

When asked if she was expecting it she said ’not at all’.

’It literally couldn’t have been any more perfect for us,’ she replied.

The 27-year-old continued: ’He remembered that I love it up the hills and we’d been working up there the past few days and the group of people that were there were all good friends and so it was just really nice and intimate and special, it was very good.’

The couple got engaged at about three o’clock before calling family members to tell them the news.

Bryony said: ’We finished work and then my parents and sister and auntie and cousin and her children brought a load of champagne and beers up for everyone and then we had a bit of a celebration.

’It was really nice and the sun came out, so it was a good evening.’

Michael had arranged photos to be taken during the proposal.

’He also got a drone video of it for us which is really nice to keep forever because I’ve always said that when I get engaged I would want a photographer hidden away taking pictures so I could look back and remember it forever, so luckily I can,’ Bryony said.

Planning for the marriage proposal had been in the works for three weeks.

Michael said: ’But then we were shearing through the summer and it was just about when to take that next step.’

After the sheep was spray painted it was sent back into its flock.

’The sheep has still got the writing on it and we still get pictures people are sending us of the sheep dotted around the countryside up there,’ Michael added.

The couple, from Foxdale, will have been together nine years in November.

Bryony said: ’We met on a night out in TT week and got chatting, we were both in young farmers and both had a lot of the same friends.’

For the wedding, they don’t want ’anything traditional’.

’It would be on the island but I don’t think it would be as traditional as a church wedding, I think we’ll do something different,’ she added.