Couple set to marry years after he photobombed her first wedding photo

By Lauren Beavis via SWNS

A couple are set to marry - years after he cheekily photobombed her first wedding photo and cut the cake with her.

Shortie Glanville posed for a practical joke picture at his friend Jenny Rix's wedding on August 29, 1987.

Having known each other since their early childhood the pair thought it would be funny to pose for the picture and pretend they were cutting the cake together.

But little did they imagine that 35 years later the two would be planning their own wedding.

Jen, who was 18 on her first wedding day, said: "We look happier in the picture than I did with my ex husband!".

"At the time I remember thinking oh my goodness Shortie you can't do this!

"He was egging me on saying, 'cut the cake, cut the cake!' - I was crying with laughter. That man has always made me laugh."

Shortie, who was 23 at the time, said: "Jen's ex husband wasn't there when the photographer was saying it was time to cut the cake.

"So I got up and said 'I'll cut the cake!'

Shortie Glanville and Jenny Rix. (James Dadzitis via SWNS)

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The renowned prankster then jumped in the shot, and Jen's mother saved the image - perhaps aware of its significance that would emerge years later.

“When Shortie and I got together I said, ‘I think I’ve got a photo of us cutting the wedding cake’, and he said ‘No!’ and after I had a good rummage around we looked through the photos and found it," said Jen, 53, of Ottery St Mary, Devon, England.

"It was just the most special and hilarious thing - an oh my god moment, we couldn't believe it!

"Maybe my mum knew something we didn't!"

Shortie and Jenny remained friends over the years but were reunited after Jen called Shortie for a favor - asking him to take her sofa to the dump which her bull terrier, Winston, had destroyed.

The pair then became a couple in 2010, after both of their marriages had ended, and Jen took the leap of faith and proposed to Shortie on February 29, 2012 - a leap year, when it is traditional for the roles to be reversed and women to propose.

Shortie, 58, said: "I told her, 'I can't say no, you're a bloody lovely cook!'

"I've always had a sweet spot for Jenny - thank god Winston ate the settee that's all I can say."

Jen, now on voluntary redundancy after working at Lloyds for 33 years, and Shortie, who works as a plasterer, both grew up in Ottery St Mary where she lived just around the corner from him.

"I remember being 16 and driving around on a tractor, waving to the lovely girl around the corner," said Shortie.

Now, They now have a nine-year-old son together, named Abie.

With the sentimental photo placed on top of their mantlepiece, Shortie said the pair plan to recreate the picture at their wedding next year - also marking 100 years since Jen's late-mom was born.

He added: "That'll be the icing on top of the cake!".