HAMBURG, N.Y. - The crowd gathered in the grandstand to watch the Fireman's Parade at the Erie County Fair got a bonus surprise Friday night.

Of course, the most surprised of all was Amanda Pieczynski.

Her boyfriend Andrew Atkinson is a member of the South Line Volunteer Fire Department.

As his unit completed the final leg of its march around the oval of the fairground's race track, they suddenly stopped and faced toward where she was sitting along the infield.

As Andrew broke ranks and strode toward her, she had a confused look on her face-- but only for a moment.

She began crying with joyous disbelief as members of the department got down on one knee, each holding a letter up, to make a sign that spelled out :

W-I-L-L  Y-O-U  M-A-R-R-Y  M-E-?