A woman feeling lonely over lockdown found the love of her life after leaving a lighthearted comment on a Facebook group.
Thirsty Joanne Ashcroft asked whether "someone would get her a drink in" on the Liverpool Virtual Pub page.
Almost instantly after uploading the jokey message on April 3, the 47-year-old got a response.
Martin Davis quickly asked her what she was having - and they soon struck up a friendship.
The pair hit it off and soon took their conversation to WhatsApp, reports the LiverpoolEcho.
Joanne and Martin finally met up for the first time in August when the lockdown restrictions were lifted.
Then - a month later - smitten Martin took a chance asked her to marry him in a restaurant on Albert Dock.
She didn't think twice and happy Joanne said their engagement goes to show that "something good can come out of something bad".
Joanne told the Echo : "It was literally just after lockdown started.
"You know when you're just starting to feel a bit down in the dumps with everything that's going on?
"One of my friends on Facebook invited me to join it. It's a virtual pub and of a weekend they have people singing from their own homes.
"I commented that I was on my way to the pub, would someone get me a drink in and he commented 'what are you having.'
"I commented back 'I'll have a double vodka' and he put back 'do you want ice? What (are) you having it with?"
"It just went from there backwards and forwards. Then he mentioned going for a drink when things go back to normal and we started private messaging on Whatsapp."
She added: "We just got on so well laughing and joking. Before we knew it it was 7 or 8 at night.
"I messaged him when I got home and said my cheeks were actually aching from smiling so much."
Since sharing the news of their engagement in a post on the Liverpool Virtual Pub Facebook page, Joanne and Martin have received over 2000 comments and 4000 likes.
Joanne described Martin as her "soul mate" and said their chance encounter just goes to show that "something good can come out of something bad."
She said: "If it hadn't of been for the pandemic and lockdown and this virtual pub our paths wouldn't have crossed.
"We never would have met. It was fate. I think it just shows that sometimes good things can happen, even when there's bad things going on."
