LOVE was in the air and on the lanes for Barnsley lass Sarah Beechy.
She was bowled over by boyfriend Joe Hardy who popped the question at Barnsley Bowl last Friday.
Joe, 23, pulled off the special proposal with the help of staff at the Athersley bowling alley.
He organised for a couple of games of bowling under the 'moonlight' lane lights and for some of Sarah's favourite songs to be played before he got down on one knee to ask the big question, cheered on by their families and strangers.
Sarah was taken by complete surprise and didn't hesitate to say I do before Joe, who is from Derby, put a stunning diamond engagement ring on her finger and swept her up in his arms.
Joe told the Chronicle he chose the bowling alley as it is somewhere Sarah likes to visit with her family and she didn’t suspect a thing as the evening was a double celebration as it was also her 19th birthday.
Moments after saying ‘I do’, Sarah, who is a full time carer for her mother, told the Chronicle she was over the moon.
"I'm so overwhelmed and happy.
"I had no idea and was really shocked."
Joe's mum Carol Hardy couldn't hold back the tears when she saw her son down on one knee.
"We managed to keep it a secret. I'm so happy for them."
The couple met while on holiday in Skegness last summer and said it’s been a whirlwind romance.
"We met on August 25 in an arcade," said Joe, who works for Wetherspoons. "We met on a Friday and both left on the Saturday and knew we had to keep in touch.
"When you know, you know."
Sarah's mum Jane Alexander, of Doncaster Road, Barnsley, helped Joe to plan the surprise.
Jane said: "I'm really happy for Sarah. She's found someone nice and he's a lovely lad and treats her like royalty. He's paid for her to have her hair dome, her make-up and a new outfit. You couldn't ask for anymore.
"It's the first time I have seen her cry."
There were a few tears from staff who helped organise the surprise, among them snack bar assistant Michelle Clarke who had the important job of delivering the cake with a ring on top which was the prompt for the proposal.
Joe said he plans to move to Barnsley shortly and they are hoping to set a date for the wedding next year.
