A ROMANTIC Worcestershire man proposed to his partner of 12 years on the radio after hearing an on-air debate about marriage.

Steve McCarron proposed to Vanessa Wright on BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday morning as presenter Nicky Campbell hosted a debate on whether the State should offer couples financial incentives to tie the knot.

As marriage rates hit an all-time low Campbell asked whether people were better off married after Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, announced plans to encourage more people to wed by offering tax breaks to married couples.

Mr McCarron, aged 50, of Moors Avenue, Hartlebury, near Kidderminster, who has four children from a previous relationship, wanted to make the point that the Government should not interfere in marriage by offering couples financial incentives to wed.

He said people should marry for more substantial reasons – like love.

He said: “The idea that marriage is going to save the day is ridiculous.

“The Government is interfering in relationships and they should not be doing that.

"Here we are, in the new millennium banging on that marriage is going to save the day. It’s ridiculous.”

During the live interview he said to Miss Wright: “We’re going to have to get married sooner or later? How about this year? Does that suit you?”

Mum-of-one Miss Wright, also 50, who described her partner as “very genuine” and “a bit off the wall” said: “Yeah, that’s fine. Whatever you say. We’ve gone through a lot. Wait till I get home.”

Mr Campbell joked that the show had been turned into an edition of Cilla Black’s popular TV programme Surprise, Surprise by Mr McCarron who said his proposal had been spontaneous.

The couple have yet to fix a date for their big day.