Two charity trekkers unlaced their walking boots and tied the knot after a surprise proposal of marriage at the bottom of the Grand Canyon led to a ‘drive-through’ Las Vegas wedding.

David and Nicola Procter, of Shipley, were part of a team of 23 people taking part in a charity trek of the Grand Canyon, which raised £88,000 for the Marie Curie Hospice in Bradford.

The couple, who have been together for four and a half years, signed up for the trek in February and Mr Procter, 57, immediately began planning the marriage.

“I went online and filled in forms for both of us and then I booked a venue not knowing anything about it,” said Mr Procter, a retired teacher.

He waited until the first night they stayed under canvas to propose. “I went down on both knees because we were in a tent,” he said. “I knew it was a long way to civilisation if she wanted to run away!”

Mrs Procter, nee Woodhead, 49, a counter manager at Barclays bank in Shipley, said ‘yes’ and after a hastily-arranged shopping trip to buy a dress the couple tied the knot in downtown Las Vegas.

Mr Procter said: “The stretch limo picked us up from the hotel and took us to the wedding chapel. It was a drive-through wedding – surreal but fantastic.”

The couple, who raised about £7,500 for Marie Curie on the trek, now plan to organise a party at home to celebrate with fellow trekkers and family and friends, with donations to Marie Curie in lieu of wedding presents.

Mr Procter said: “This is a fantastic ending to a life-changing experience. Doing the trek for Marie Curie Cancer Care was very personal to me as I recently lost my mum to cancer and a few years ago Nicola’s dad was cared for in a hospice. “We are doing the next Marie Curie Bradford Hospice trek to follow the famous Inca Trail from Cusco to Machu Picchu.”

For more information about the Peru trek being organised by Marie Curie contact Sharon Link on (01274) 337000 or e-mail: sharon.link@marie.curie.org.uk