Herriot inspires proposal

JAMES Herriot was the inspiration for Alex McPherson's career – and now Yorkshire's most famous vet has played a part in his love life, too.

Mr McPherson chose the steps to a tourist attraction dedicated to the famous Dales vet as the ideal location to pop the question to his girlfriend of five years, Mel Speechley.

He went down on one knee at the entrance to the World of James Herriot in Thirsk, in honour of the man who inspired him to join the veterinary profession.

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As the bells rang out at the nearby St Mary's Church – where author Alf Wight, who wrote the James Herriot books, married his own sweetheart, Joan – Miss Speechley accepted the proposal.

Mr McPherson said: "We both wanted to be vets from a very young age and that was in no small part due to the books written by James Herriot.

"The books were great and although the life looked hard, it also looked very rewarding. We both worked hard to get to vet school and now after many years living our dream and loving our jobs, I decided Mel was the woman for me.

The couple live in Wiltshire.

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