A RUNNER took a pit stop during the London Marathon to pick up a wife.

Paul Musk agreed to meet girlfriend Karen Kelly at the 22-mile mark by the Tower of London.

She was expecting a quick wave as he ran past but instead he stopped running and proposed to her.

Pain he had been experiencing in his right leg during the previous 14 miles did not put him off getting down on one knee.

Mr Musk, of Model Farm Close, Mottingham, said: "It just felt so good to know she was going to be there.

"I got some pain in my right knee so I was hobbling along but knowing I was going to propose kept me going."

The osteopath had given a ring, flowers and champagne to a friend to keep hold of until he got to the meeting point.

Family, friends and marathon runners cheered the couple and they were able to celebrate properly after Mr Musk had run the final four miles.

The 35-year-old, who was running his first marathon, said: "I thought it would be nice to do it with lots of my family and friends around and it was a great event.

"Karen said she could not wait to see me and I could not wait to see my fiancee, which was an amazing feeling.

"The most important thing was just to get engaged at the end of the day. Everyone was saying congratulations for the marathon and then saying oh yeah, congratulations for getting engaged'."

Mr Musk and 34-year-old Miss Kelly, from Balham, have not set a definite date for their wedding yet but expect to get married in October or November.

The couple have been going out for seven months.

They got together after one of Mr Musk's friends met Miss Kelly at a party.