Joanne Eaton (26), of Brookfield Way, Kibworth Beauchamp, was invited into the high fisherman’s hut for a merengue party on her last day there in July.

Joanne said: “At the party I was offered a husband and a baby as a gift for me to stay there. I just said thank you but it’s time I returned to England. It was quite something and I wasn’t sure what to say.”

Joanne decided to take a career break and do something memorable with her life.

After studying marine and environmental studies at the University of Leicester she took up an administrative job at the university.

She said: “I wasn’t doing a job that I wanted to do and I wanted to take the opportunity to see the world.

“I came across a volunteering career gap opportunity in Africa and I thought it would be great.”

Joanne worked until she had enough money to pay for the trip and then in July last year set off on the year-long adventure.

Whilst in Madagascar Joanne worked with other volunteers and taught people to dive.

Her main task was to help plant mangroves, which are trees and shrubs that are planted along the coastline to prevent flooding and debris being washed into the sea.

Joanne also swam with turtles and helped maintain the coral. She said: “It was an amazing experience and everybody out their was so friendly.”

Joanne is now writing up a research paper and hopes to find another research post somewhere when she finishes.