A WOMAN unearthed a romantic surprise while on a metal detecting trip.

Harriet Haseler uncovered an engagement ring hidden by her partner Jamille Swainson while looking for hidden treasures near Whittington.

Jamille arranged the surprise with Chris Langston and John Flaherty of Whittington-based Metal Detecting Holidays.

Chris told how Harriet had spoken for years about how she used to go metal detecting with her grandmother when she was younger, so Jamille arranged it as a birthday surprise.

But Jamille, from Buckinghamshire, also asked Chris and John if they could hide the engagement ring where he was hoping to make the proposal.

"Usually they want to dig stuff up not put stuff in, and to be honest it kind of goes against the grain of what we do, putting stuff in the ground," Chris said.

"It's the sort of thing you never get asked – 'Could you put treasure in the ground?'"

But he added: "When he said to me the hold thing it warmed my heart."

The couple went on the hunt for buried treasure and found a Victoria penny and half penny, musket ball and a silver locket.

Of course, the best find of all came when Harriet found the ring hidden in an old tin Jamille got down on one knee to propose.

"It was heartwarming and I am still smiling about it now because it was a really nice thing," Chris added.