Round-the-world sailor Graham Thompson, 31, from Crawley, asked his girlfriend to marry him over the VHF aboard Pindar as he rounded Cape Horn.

30-year-old Laura Alexander, from Basingstoke, sailing aboard BP Explorer, said: ‘Yes’ as the Global Challenge Race prepared to head west towards Wellington in the second leg of the 30,000 mile race.

Graham had planned the engagement during the recent stop-over in Buenos Aires at the end of first leg of the race. As well as buying an engagement ring in Argentina, he had secretly informed David Pugh, 44, one of Laura’s crewmates, about his plans, and Pugh was tasked with presenting the ring to Laura at the vital moment.