A man in Russia wanted to ask his girlfriend to marry him, and decided that the best way was to scare her into saying 'yes'.

Alexey Bykov, 30, faked his own death in a bizarre marriage proposal that fortunately for him, turned out well.

He hired a movie director, stuntmen, make-up artists, and even a script writer to stage a bogus car crash, news website Orange UK reported.

Bykov asked his girlfriend, Irena Kolokov, to meet him at a certain location.

But when she got there, all she saw was mangled cars, ambulances, smoke and carnage - all part of the elaborate set-up.

Bykov even got a "fake coroner" to pronounce him dead, other news media reported.

As Kolokov broke down sobbing inconsolably, Bykov jumped up, still covered in fake blood, and proposed.

"I was so cross I almost killed him again, but for real this time", she was quoted as saying.

His reason for the heart-stopping (pun not intended) act?

"I wanted her to realise how empty her life would be without me and how life would have no meaning without me.

"I think it worked  but I promise it's the last time," said Bykov.

Kolokov said yes eventually, and the couple were married last week.

[email protected]