How deep is your love? Scuba instructor pops the question to fiancée… at 100ft under the sea

PUBLISHED: 04:37 EST, 3 September 2012 | UPDATED: 07:11 EST, 3 September 2012

A scuba diving instructor has taken the plunge - proposing to his girlfriend 100ft below the waves.

Ollie Meaden, 30, stunned Hayley Short, 27, by asking her to marry him while the pair wereon a dive to a sunken shipwreck in the Mediterranean sea.

The experienced diver got down on one knee on board the capsized MS Zenobia ferry off the Cyprus coast and produced a diamond engagement ring fastened to his wetsuit.

Taking the plunge: Scuba diving instructor Ollie Meadon asked his girlfriend Hayley Short to marry him 100ft below the waves

Under the sea: The couple were on a dive to the sunken ferry MS Zenobia ferry, off the Cyprus coast, when Mr Meadon proposed

He then asked Miss Short to marry him using with a message written on a waterproof banner - and she immediately accepted by 'nodding profusely'.

The pair had been enjoying a romantic break in Cyprus when Mr Meaden made the romantic proposal four days into their holiday.

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Forensic psychology Masters student Miss Short, describing the moment he proposed, said: 'Ollie was going really fast through the ship. I was thinking for goodness sake, slow down.

'We swam towards the radar tower and Ollie signalled to me to sit on the metal pole. I looked at him blankly, wondering why he wanted me to sit there.

Making a splash: Delighted Miss Short immediately accepted Mr Meaden's proposal

'But then he got down on one knee, handed me a pre-written slate with the 'gushy' stuff written on it.

'At the end it said 'Read the banner'. Looking up, I saw the words 'Will you marry me'.'

Miss Short could only nod to accept the proposal, but said 'Yes' properly as soon as they resurfaced after the dive.

Miss Short added: 'At first I had no idea what was going on about as I was busy looking for fish.

'Then when I realised, I was just overjoyed. Of course, I couldn't say anything to him but I was nodding profusely.

'It was such a romantic proposal, and so well thought out. I was really touched by the whole thing.'

She had to wait until they were back on their dive boat before Mr Meaden could place the sparkly engagement ring on her finger.

Everyone on board had been in on Mr Meaden's secret plan and congratulated the happy pair, who live together in Portsmouth, Hants.

The couple met a year ago at the University of Portsmouth's branch of the British Sub Aqua Club (BSAC), where Mr Meaden is an instructor, after Miss Short took up the sport two years ago to tackle her fear of open water.

Mr Meaden said: 'I'd been planning the proposal for nearly nine months. Hayley's dad lives out of the country so I waited until I could ask his permission the old fashioned way.'

His mum helped him pick out a ring, which had to be kept on a necklace attached to his wetsuit during the dive.

Mr Meaden, a junior school teacher, added: 'The wedding will definitely be on dry land.'

Diving in: The happy couple met at the University of Portsmouth's branch of the British Sub Aqua Club where Mr Meadon is an instructor

Mary Tetley, chief executive of BSAC, said many of their members have met their partners while diving.

She continued: 'Diving buddies are literally looking after each other's lives.

'There is something very powerful about that which quite often leads people to fall in love with one another.

'You are sharing a great passion for a particular sport and also having experiences which you will share with that one person only for the rest of your life.

'So it is not surprising when we hear that this passion has risen to the surface.'