Biker proposes at Arctic Circle

Phil Steele, from Ludlow, unexpectedly proposed to his girlfriend Julie Haskins as they reached the northern part of Norway - known as the Land of the Midnight Sun - while at the Arctic Circle centre.

The pair arrived back in Shrewsbury on Thursday in tandem after completing a fundraising ride.

The couple, who went on the fundraising ride with more than 25 bikers from across Shropshire, have been going out for a year after meeting each other through a bikers' dating agency on the internet.

They had both built a memorial of stones called a cairn to their mothers at the circle and then Mr Steele asked Ms Haskins to marry him.

Ms Haskins, 35, who is from South Gloucestershire, said: "I wanted him to propose as it was so unusual. A friend on the trip kept hinting at him to do it."

But Mr Steele, 52, swears he came up with the idea before the group left two weeks ago.

He said: "I've had it planned for a while and kept it secret before we went on the trip."

Ms Haskins, who has yet to set a date for the wedding, rode the 3,500-mile expedition on the back of Mr Steele's motorcycle, although she is learning to ride herself.

She said: "It was nice doing the proposal in front of the stones. Not a lot of people can say they have been proposed to at the Arctic Circle."

Meanwhile fellow fundraiser Marcus Watkin, 39, from Hadnall, who is wheelchair bound after a horrific motorbike accident, arrived back home safely in his specially adapted people carrier.

Mr Watkin said: "The views were unbelievable. It's been a long couple of weeks."

The youngest team member Angus Maidment, 10, swept into the headquarters on the back of his dad Kevin's bike. The pair, from Greenfields, Shrewsbury, wore matching leathers.

Angus said: "I liked all the scenery, especially when we crossed the streams and waterfalls."

Fast Trak organiser Dave Palmer said: "It was emotionally difficult for two or three."

Mr Palmer added: "One London rider's mother was suffering from cancer and she died at 3am on the day we arrived at the Arctic Circle, which was a poignant moment."

The riders hope to have raised at least £20,000 for Hope House.

By Rebecca Lawrence