Marriage proposal flops after man's girlfriend says diamond is too small

A man's elaborate marriage proposal flopped when his girlfriend turned him down because the diamond on the ring was too small.

Cringe-worthy photos showed the man get down on one knee while hired dancers performed in front of her in an elaborate display.

The young woman initially seems overcome by the performance on a street in Chengdu, the capital city of south-west China's Sichuan province.

At one point she started to cry as her boyfriend walked towards her.

But when he went down on one knee and held up the box, opening the ring for her to see, she was less than impressed.

One eyewitness told local TV: "Her eyes went wide as she put her hand over her mouth, and then she turned around and walked away without saying anything."

A screenshot of a WeChat conversation allegedly between her and a friend was later leaked online and published alongside the story.

In the message, the girlfriend says: "But he agreed to buy me a diamond ring as large as one carat.

"Why was this one so small?

"Is he so careless or has he ever cared about me?"

Her friend replies: "Don't worry.

"Perhaps the bigger one will be waiting for you later or he hasn't prepared it for this time."