A CHARITY fundraising event turned out to be one to remember for the organiser after she was surprised by a proposal from her long-term boyfriend.

Millie Humphreys, who hosted the festival-style fundraiser known as Millfest, smashed her target as more than £800 was generated for Cancer Research UK.

But that wasn’t the only cause for celebration after Millie’s boyfriend and Swindon Wildcats star Stevie Whitfield popped the question.

He waited until one of Millie’s favourite local acts, rapper Fabian Darcy and singer Jesse Blue, were about to perform their latest track 1995. The performers invited Millie to join them on stage, and that’s when Stevie seized his moment, springing out of the crowd to grab his fiancée-to-be’s hand and getting down on one knee to propose.

“The whole day leading up to this moment had been pretty nerve-racking but it was so worth it and it couldn’t have been more perfect,” said Stevie. “Having Mills’ family and friends there to join us in this moment made it even more special.”

He added: “This event means so much to Millie and her parents and they always put a lot of effort into Millfest so it was the perfect place for me to propose to her.”

More than 100 friends and family members joined in with the celebrations at the private event, staged at Millie’s family home in Inglesham.

Millie said: “I can’t even put into words how amazing and surreal this was, it’s one of the most wondrous feelings and a memory I will treasure forever.

“I was so confused when I was called up to join the performers on stage. I thought it was just a way of getting everyone up to dance but then I turned around and saw Stevie there on one knee.

She added: “Millfest has always meant so much to me and my family but now this has made it even more special.

“I love supporting local artists and bands from Swindon and it was so cool and special for it all to happen to Fabian’s single 1995 – the song will always mean so much to me.”

Millfest was cancelled last year after the family’s home and car were targeted by burglars only a week before it would have taken place.

It came as a massive disappointment for the family, who use the day as a way to raise funds for a charity close to their hearts. They lost Millie’s ‘grampy’ Clive Humphreys in 2009 to cancer.

Millie’s mum and dad Samantha and Craig Humphreys host the festival and used it to celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary.

Samantha said: “The event is always amazing and any sum of money raised means a lot to us but I was so happy and amazed at how generous everyone was with their donations, I felt extremely proud and happy when counting up the money knowing it will go to such a great cause.

“Stevie proposing to our daughter just made Millfest an extra special celebration and we are so happy for them both, we couldn’t ask for a better son-in-law.

“Everything was perfect, the weather, the company, the entertainment and the icing on the cake being that of the proposal.”

The event had a stage, a shisha section, an outdoor bar, a photo booth and plenty of space for festival-goers to dance and mingle.

It also gave talented musicians from all over the town a platform to perform and plans are already in place for another Millfest in 2020.