A HAPPY bride-to-be has contacted the Telegraph & Argus after readers spotted a plane carrying a proposal message at the weekend.
Tamara O'Sullivan, 24, from Burnley, has told how her fiance Sam Winter, 28, took her to Pendle Hill in Lancashire to get down on one knee in style on Saturday.
The light aircraft's banner read 'Tamara will you marry me, Sam' and was seen by people across the Bradford district as it headed towards the couple.
Sam, an account manager for a Manchester technology company, and his good friend Rob Keeble had been secretly organising the proposal for months.
Tamara said: "Sam asked me if I wanted to do a photo shoot up Pendle Hill for Rob, who is a photographer. He told me Rob wanted some practice for a wedding.
"So we went up and found a beautiful spot. We were sat in the sun for a while, whilst waiting for Rob to set up. I saw a plane with a banner heading right towards me, so I stood to see what it said.
"I was shocked and confused as I thought it was a wind up! I turned round to see Sam on one knee with the ring in his hand. It was just amazing."
The plane and its happy message were seen by T&A readers in Eccleshill, Clayton, Idle, Wrose, Shipley and Bingley, and hopeful messages were posted on the T&A's Facebook page.
Veena Fawad said: "Just seen the banner hope she said yes, just so so romantic."
Deborah Jo Stewart wrote: "Romantic gesture. Hope the lucky lady said YES!!"
Emma Dyson said: "We saw it in BD9. Good luck Sam. Come on Tamara, give him ya answer xxx"
Tamara, who works as a nurse in the neonatal unit at Burnley General Hospital, joked that she had been waiting for Sam's proposal.
She said: "I've been talking about it nearly everyday for about a year! I've been asking him when he was going to propose. I didn’t think he had been planning it as he kept asking me to stop talking about marriage all the time."
While we were up Pendle, I was sat with him and we were admiring the nice views and I said to him, 'Now would be a lovely time to propose'. His response was 'I’m not asking you to marry me here'. And then an hour later we were enagaged!
"He is very romantic, though. He never does things by halves! I'm still in shock. I’m still trying to take it all in."
After the T&A reported the couple's engagement story, readers posted dozens of messages of congratulations for Tamara and Sam on Facebook.
Emma Jane said: "Congratulations, so glad she said yes. Lads take note."
Jamie Myers wrote: They should become the T&A couple. Congrats to both and nice proposal man!"
Chloe Mitchell said: "Aww that's so romantic. Just glad she said yes xx."
Tamara said she is pleased to know that so many people are interested in the proposal.
She said: "I think it’s lovely. It fills my heart knowing that strangers are pleased for me and wishing me well. I have had a lot of messages on Facebook congratulating me."
The couple, who have been together for four-and-a-half years, are currently looking for a home to buy together.
"Once we’ve found a house and moved, we'll be planning the wedding," said Tamara. "We're hoping to get married in a couple of years."
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