A visiting cruise ship passenger got on stage before hundreds of onlookers at the last Harbour Nights of the year and stunned his girlfriend by getting down on one knee and proposing.

Hours earlier George Papp, from Montreal, had visited the Chamber of Commerce offices to ask the organisers if it would be possible for him to pop the question at the height of the event.

A ruse was quickly concocted that would leave his girlfriend blissfully unaware what was happening until the moment they were both on the stage beneath the Front Street Flag Pole and Mr. Papp got down on one knee.

To screams of delight from onlookers, Mr. Papp?s girlfriend Rachelle said ?Yes? to the proposal.

Lindsay Davis, who works in the Chamber of Commerce office and coordinates Harbour Nights, said: ?He came into our offices earlier in the evening and asked if we had anything to do with the festival.

?He said he wanted to do something special by proposing to his girlfriend.?

The couple were visiting the Island onboard a cruise ship docked on Front Street at the time.

To ensure Rachelle did not know what was going on it was agreed Mr. Papp would pretend he?d bought a raffle ticket earlier in the day and the bogus raffle draw would be announced around 9.15 p.m. when the ?winner? Mr. Papp would be invited on stage.

Once on stage he mentioned his girlfriend who was visiting with him and she was asked to join him on stage.

It was then that Mr. Papp, holding an engagement ring, dropped to one knee and proposed.

Ms Davis said: ?His girlfriend was shocked and excited and the crowd went wild when she said ?yes?.?