They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Yet, according to research, many women spicing it up with candles and flowers this Valentine’s Day ended up sorely disappointed in the ring department. 

Come the dawn of February 15, can there be anything as frustrating as waking up to a few crumbs and a dutch oven?

Desperate times, however, call for desperate measures and the undeterred lovelorn damsel gets another crack of the whip this February 29.

Tradition has it that on Leap Year Day, women can pop the question. 

Now she can do it with a box of tissues, an onion ring and a branded steak at that most romantic of Liverpool locations: the Stag & Rainbow on Queens Drive.

Romantic: The Packet in BootleRomantic: The Packet Steamer in Bootle

There, Beefeater, that stalwart of the criss-cross steak, is offering a Leap Year Proposal Package for women who still refuse to read the writing on the wall.

“Research conducted by Beefeater revealed 20pc of women said they would like to propose to their partner. However, the 28pc of women who said they would be worried about their partner's reaction need not to worry, with over half of men (59pc) saying that they would love their girlfriends to get down on one knee,” it says here.

As such, the 40-year-old chain has created the limited edition Leap Year Proposal Package, available on request on February 29 at the Stag and also at The Packet Steamer in Bootle.

The lucky chap will be presented with a customised man-sized engagement ring jewellery box containing the following:

·      A 10oz steak branded: 'Will You Marry Me?'

·      'Crispfetti' - instead of a scattering of rose petals as a table decoration, expect crinkle cut chips

·      Onion Ring replacing a diamond ring

·      Two bottles of beer - to toast the engagement

·      A man sized box of tissues - for when he comes over all unnecessary in the car park. 

Beefeater says:  “Only 17pc of men say that candles, flowers and romantic gestures would be important to them and 40pc proved that food really is the way to a man’s heart, stating that their ideal proposal would involve food.”