A couple had the two most dramatic weeks of their lives as they got engaged in an escape room challenge before delivering their second child on the floor of a hospital.
Lauren Hutchings and Bradley Armour's incredibly eventful fortnight started on May 5 when they went to the Exciting Escape Rooms in Basingstoke together.
Lauren thought it was part of her mum's efforts to get the couple, both aged 21, to spend some time together.
But the getaway was actually the brain child of Bradley, who had spent the past two weeks planning a surprise proposal.
Bradley, an AWE employee, worked with staff at Exciting Escapes to hide the ring as the final clue.
He had to bring forward his plans after Lauren thought she was going into labour at 36 weeks, realising that the baby could arrive at any time, particularly as their first child, Logan, was born premature at 34 weeks nearly two years ago.
He said: “If the baby came it would be hard to convince Lauren to leave her,” he said, “So I asked if we could do it the next weekend and they managed to fit us in.”
Bradley had to hand over the ring to staff whilst there with Lauren, making an excuse to discuss the payment while Lauren filled out some forms.
The couple then embarked on the thrilling challenge solving a series of clues to find a way to get out of the locked room.
Time was ticking fast as the hour-long challenge sped by, and the pressure was on to find the final clue or Bradley risked his whole surprise going wrong.
But thankfully the couple managed to solve the puzzle just in time, with less than a minute to spare.
In a video of the proposal, a shocked Lauren is seen welling up as romantic Bradley read her a love letter she found in a box in the escape room, telling her: “Today is the day my life will become perfect.”
He added: “Everyone is unique, but they are not as unique and special as you.
"Your cute little laugh and your beautiful blue eyes. Your amazing smile and tiny hugs are reasons why you stand out the most to me.
"You make me so happy. You are what keeps my heart beating, and that’s why I love you.”
Bradley then got down on one knee to ask the all-important question, and thankfully Lauren said yes.
Speaking afterwards, Lauren said: “I was just really shocked. I always thought that I was going to see it coming but, in my head, it was my mum’s idea to go to the escape room so I didn’t have a clue.”
Without realising, Lauren almost ruined the surprise by refusing help from the games master, saying: “We have done escape rooms before so I said ‘please don’t give us any clues’.
"Towards the end I was going through a panic because I really wanted to finish.”
But the drama didn’t end there, as less than a fortnight after their engagement the couple’s child was born two weeks early on May 17, arriving so quickly Lauren only just made it through the hospital doors.
The nursery assistant thought she was having Braxton hicks earlier in the evening on May 17, and the couple didn’t head to the hospital until just before 10pm.
Lauren said: “As soon as we got to hospital my waters broke, but still I thought there would be a wait.
"I was by the door and got another contraction and I recognised that feeling and said ‘I’m sure that’s the head’.
"I’m sure it wasn’t more than a minute later and I said ‘there’s definitely a head’.”
The couple were trying desperately to get into the hospital pressing the buzzer, but had no response from the maternity ward.
Eventually they were buzzed in but there wasn’t enough time to get up to the second floor.
Bradley rushed upstairs for help, before changing his mind and realising their baby could arrive any minute.
“I thought I’m not going to make it,” he said.
Thankfully he arrived back downstairs just in time to witness their daughter being born at 10pm.
“Lauren was on the floor with her trousers down and I could see the head. I thought ‘where is everyone?’
"I wasn’t really thinking anything I just wanted the midwives to hurry up. I thought I had to lie her down or I wouldn’t be able to catch it,” he said.
“I think I was just completely in shock,” added Lauren, who was then taken to the maternity ward to be checked over along with her daughter Lilly, who weighed 6lb 4oz.
The couple, who have been together for three years, are now enjoying time together as a family of four before planning their wedding.
