VIDEO: Fairytale proposal for Snow White

6:12pm Tuesday 22nd January 2008

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A PRODUCTION of Snow White became a real life fairy tale when the leading lady's boyfriend proposed during the show.

Maria Masterman, 27, was acting out Snow White's deep sleep after her character had eaten the poisoned apple at Burnley Mechanics.

But when Prince Charming was due to appear, Nick Booth, Maria's boyfriend of four years, came on stage to pop the question dressed in the leading man's costume.

Maria, a sales administrator at Ultraframe in Clitheroe, had not noticed the change.

And she reacted with utter shock as Nick did something that was not in the script - going down on one knee with his proposal.

He said: "Maria you are my leading lady and I wanted to ask you if you would do me the honour of marrying me?"

She immediately agreed and the audience began cheering - but then the Burnley Pantomime Society show had to go on.

Maria, originally from Clitheroe but who moved to Earby three years ago to live with Nick, said: "I was lifted back on to the bed and started the scene again.

"It was really hard to concentrate on the show after that and everyone on stage kept crying."

The former St Augustine's, Billington, pupil said the events on Saturday night were like a "fairy tale within a fairy tale".

She said: "I didn't realise anything was different and woke up singing my song until I looked and saw the prince wasn't stood where he was meant to be.

"When I turned round I saw Nick stood there and jumped back about three foot.

"I think the audience had twigged what had happened and started cheering."

Nick, 38, a former pupil of The Hollins Technology College, Accrington, said he decided it was the best way to propose because of Maria's love of the theatre.

He said: "I approached the society about a year ago telling them about the idea. They agreed that it would be okay and then we had to decide how to do it."

Nick said he had only told three people of his plans to make sure it was a surprise.

He said: "I was in the audience with two of my sons.

"I told them I was probably going to make a fool of myself later but didn't tell them why.

"I hadn't been nervous until the moment I went on stage.

"I've never been on stage before and just tried not to look at the audience but my hand was shaking when I was holding the microphone.

"It was such a relief when she said yes."

The couple are planning to get married in the summer of 2009.