Dolphin helps groom take plunge

A young man proposed to his girlfriend while riding a trained dolphin on Saturday.

Fang Peng, 24, a restaurant manager, stood with open arms and holding rose on the back of a dolphin at the Polar Ocean World in Wuhan, Hubei province as it propelled him toward girlfriend Li Yun. Li accepted on the spot.

"I had this idea two years ago, and I asked for a week off work so I could prepare secretly," said Fang, who explained he practiced for 10 minutes every day at the park.

The pre-arranged performance began around 2 pm, when the host of the dolphin show invited an audience member to challenge one of the dolphins to a hula-hoop contest.

After Fang lost to the dolphin and was forced to jump in the pool as a penalty, he shocked his 24-year-old bride to be when he emerged from the water on the back of his mammalian escort.

"How can you ride a dolphin?" Li asked.

"You always said I'm not romantic enough. I will show you romance today," Fang said, adding that all the swallowed water and flipper slaps were worth it. Li was surprised by her fiancé's sudden and inspired proposal.

"He is dull and doesn't do romantic things," Li said.