An audience member at a York pantomime used the onstage magic to seal the deal to his very own fairy tale – marrying his partner.

Sam Knowles attended York Theatre Royal’s production of Jack and the Bean Stalk with his partner Ally Wadia.

Ally’s aunt is ex-EastEnders star Nina Wadia who starred in the show as Fairy Sugarsnap.

York Press: Happy couple Sam and Ally after the proposal Happy couple Sam and Ally after the proposal (Image: Supplied)

Before the show he was told half-joking by Nina: “Wouldn’t it be funny if you made a proposal part of the pantomime?”

Sam, 32, said he thought proposing in front of hundreds of theatregoers might be “too much” and he was unsure how it would “go down with everyone”.

But he then gave it some more thought and decided it wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

York Press: Ex-EastEnders star Nina Wadia starred in the show as Fairy SugarsnapEx-EastEnders star Nina Wadia starred in the show as Fairy Sugarsnap (Image: Supplied)

“The fact that a proposal would involve her family, which is very important to Ally, and also the mutual friends who introduced us would be in the audience. It seemed the perfect opportunity to propose,” he explained.

Just before the curtain call as the cast were doing shout-outs to audience members, they said there was a very special message.

York Press: Ally's engagement ringAlly's engagement ring (Image: Supplied)

Nina came onstage in her Fairy Sugarsnap costume and read out a message written in rhyme.

Sam got down on one knee and completed the rhyme with the proposal: “Will you marry me?"

Fortunately – like the pantomime – there was a happy ending – Ally said: “Yes."

York Press: Sam Knowles attended York Theatre Royal’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk with his partner Ally Wadia – and they left engaged Sam Knowles attended York Theatre Royal’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk with his partner Ally Wadia – and they left engaged (Image: Supplied)

Ally, 31, said she was “pretty much in shock” when it happened.

Read next: REVIEW: Jack And The Beanstalk, York Theatre Royal, until January 7

“I wasn’t expecting a proposal although there were a few things in the run-up that made me think something weird was happening. We knew we wanted to get married although Sam hadn’t proposed yet,” she explained.

The special moment was filmed on the show’s ‘Drone of Love’ – used in the show by the Dame to find a date from among the men in the audience. The drone roams the auditorium, projecting images of potential dates on to a screen suspended on stage.

Sam and Ally met while at the University of York and both work as ecological surveyors.

They are yet to set a date for the wedding.