IT was like a scene from the Truman Show — the cinema was closed, yet for one Port Talbot mum everything seemed to be business as usual.

Mari-Louise Jones, aged 34, had no idea yesterday afternoon's trip to Swansea's Odeon cinema with her partner Robert Fry was anything more than the chance to take in a film.

But little did she know her partner of six years had other ideas, and she was sitting in a cinema that was actually closed.

Hot dogs were sizzling, popcorn was popping, and staff were going about their normal duties.

Or so Mari-Louise thought.

The truth was, there was no showing of their chosen film Leap Year, the cinema was closed and they were the only customers there — all part of a long and complicated plan by Robert to propose to his partner.

The 35-year-old retail manager, who works at Curry's in Bridgend, said: "I had organised a number of meetings with the manager — I even had to slip down from Bridgend when Mari-Louise was having an operation in hospital last Friday.

"She was none the wiser apart from noticing the fuel had gone down in the car.

"I had asked her mum's permission, but couldn't really say too much because Mari-Louise was asleep on the sofa."

Robert had made a slideshow with pictures of the couple, together with the music of Take That's Rule the World. Emotional words read across the massive cinema screen leading to the culmination of a wedding proposal.

Mari-Louise, who lives with Robert in Dol Las, Baglan, said: "He went down on one knee and slipped on a ring. I couldn't believe it.

"We had a kiss and a cuddle in between our coke carton and nachos.

"When I got into the cinema, I didn't suspect a thing. Everybody was in on it, and I was the only person who didn't know.

"It was like the Truman Show, where everything seemed normal but it wasn't.

"The cinema was quiet, but I just thought it was because of the time of day. I couldn't have been more shocked.

"I can't believe how well he hid this from me."

And the proposal was something that Mari-Louise had been hinting at for a while. "I would always give some digs about him not asking me to marry him," she said.

"I asked when the next leap year would be to ask him, but I thought that would be too long. And I thought I was not going to ask him.

"The choice of film was great.

"We have always liked going to the cinema, and Rob always makes me my own DVDs, so it was so special." Robert admitted he did have some last-minute nerves.

He said: "I was a little bit twitchy. I was even shaking putting the straw in the drink! I just wanted everything to go to plan."

Following the proposal, the pair watched Leap Year, although Mari-Louise said she would have to buy the film because she couldn't concentrate on it fully.

She said: "I looked up at the cinema projector, and everybody was waving. It was so strange."

The couple have one daughter together called Ruby, aged four, and Mari-Louise has a daughter Mia, seven, from a previous relationship.

Robert has a daughter, also seven, from a past relationship.

The couple plan to watch Robert's DVD again at home with the children and celebrate with friends.

Mari-Louise was recently diagnosed with Crohn's Disease — a disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive tract — and they both say it has made them stronger.

She said: "Robert does everything for me. He is one in a million."

laura.davies@swwmedia.co.uk