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'A bus gave me the love of my life – I'm so happy'

Katy Prickettand
Mousumi Bakshi
DJ McLaren/BBC Uloma Igwe and Gabriel Enyi sitting on seats in a bus and laughing. Her black hair is pulled back from her face and she is wearing black framed glasses and a black jumper with Paris in white letters on its front and a white shirt collar sticking out of its crew neck. He has very short black hair and a black beard and is wearing a half-zip black jumper over a white shirt. DJ McLaren/BBC
Uloma Igwe and Gabriel Enyi met aboard the number 88 bus in Northamptonshire

A couple who shared months of shy glances on their daily morning bus commute before they first spoke are to get married.

Gabriel Enyi and Uloma Igwe, both 32, met on board the number 88 First Stagecoach service from Northampton Bus Station to Silverstone.

Enyi first noticed his wife-to-be in September 2024, but said it was not until the following summer that he plucked up the courage to talk to her.

"It was just a brief hello, and I smiled because I've noticed him already," said Igwe.

Gabriel Enyi/Uloma Igwe Gabriel Enyi and Uloma Igwe sitting in a bus. Gabriel Enyi has very short black hair and a black beard and is wearing a black coat over a white shirt and is starting to smile. Uloma Igwe's black hair is braided back from her head and falling to the left. She is wearing black framed glasses, and a light brown coat over a dark green sweatshirt and smiling. Gabriel Enyi/Uloma Igwe
The couple both travelled to work from Northampton, with Igwe getting off in Towcester and Enyi going on to Silverstone

Healthcare assistant Enyi said he initially noticed Igwe as she arrived at the bus station.

"There was a kind of fear, or uncertainty – is she married or not? – so I wasn't brave enough to approach her."

However, it did not take long for Igwe to notice him noticing her.

"There was a day I nearly spoke to him: 'Is there a problem? Why are you always staring at me?'" she said.

Gabriel Enyi/Uloma Igwe Gabriel Enyi and Uloma Igwe sitting in a wooden church pew. He has very short black hair and a black beard and wearing a smart black jacket over an open-neck white shirt. Her black hair is braided back from her head and falling in neat braids behind her. She is wearing a navy top. Behind them are more pews and cream church walls.Gabriel Enyi/Uloma Igwe
Igwe said her life was about work, church and staying at home, so without the commute she would never have met Enyi

In fact, she initially wondered if he knew her from somewhere else but reasoned that she would have recognised him.

Enyi felt she was "a classy lady" and eventually that was what made him think he had to step up and say something.

They finally spoke in late June, exchanging numbers, and went on their first date.

Gabriel Enyi/Uloma Igwe A back view of Gabriel Enyi on ones knee in front of Uloma Igwe in a kitchen. He is wearing a black jacket and has short cropped black hair. She is looking down at him and smiling broadly, wearing a black capped sleeve top and has braided black hair over her left shoulder. Gabriel Enyi/Uloma Igwe
Igwe was surprised when Enyi proposed to her, as she thought the plan was to celebrate her sister's birthday

Igwe, a customer service adviser for West Northamptonshire Council in Towcester, described her husband-to-be as "a loving gentleman".

"I've never been this loved and appreciated. I'm really happy; it's such a beautiful relationship," she said.

She said she was "so grateful" to the bus "as there's no way I would have met him".

"It's so sweet, we are so connected," she added.

They were unable to stop laughing as they described how Enyi organised a surprise proposal in front of friends and family at Igwe's sister's house.

The couple, who asked Stagecoach if they could use one of its buses for some pre-wedding photos, plan to marry later this year.

"The bus gave me the love of my life and I'm so happy about it," he said.

"Some people have a stereotype of where they want to find love, but I'm so happy I found mine on the bus."

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