Firefighter Jodi was delighted to find that rather than there being a man with a ring stuck on his finger at Birmingham New Street Station, her boyfriend Mark Edwards wanted to put a ring on hers. She said yes. But some members of the public took a dim view of the romantic stuntA man who called his firefighter girlfriend out on a hoax call in order to propose to her saw his romantic stunt backfire - when he was slammed on social media for wasting public money.Mark Edwards, 33, plotted with firefighter girlfriend Jodi Vincent's bosses to set her up on a fake call at work - and tricked her into thinking she and her colleagues had been called out to a man with a ring stuck on his finger.
But when Ms Vincent, 35, arrived at Birmingham New Street station, Mark was there, on bended knee, to pop the question. She said yes.
A video of the proposal was uploaded on to Facebook and Twitter by West Midlands Fire Service, who congratulated the couple on their happy news.
However, while many of the dozens of people who commented also offered their good wishes, some took a dim view.
Matt McCartney said on Facebook: 'What a waste of resources. If someone rang them for something non serious we would get a fine.
'Did they take a van that could be used? Fire proof uniforms, our tax in the petrol to get there and the rest? Do you pay tax yeah? Because you should ask for an invite to the wedding.'
Mr McCartney condemned those involved for 'wasting money and time'.
Meanwhile Lee Cofield wrote: 'So my taxes went on a wedding proposal. Disgrace. Putting lives at risk, that's crazy.'
The happy couple have been together for six years and have two children. Little did they know that their celebrations would prompt grumbles from some members of the public who were unhappy that Jodi and her fire crew were called out to a fake incident to enable Mark to pop the question
Some people who saw the post worried that this was not the right use of firefighters' time
Others complained that public money had been spent on the fake call-out in Birmingham
And some suggested this was a 'hoax call' that could have affected emergency response times
Replying to some of the negative comments, Chris Gauntlett posted on Facebook saying he is a Station Officer at Highgate Fire Station, where Ms Vincent works.
'I feel compelled to let you know, permission was sought for this great gesture,' he wrote.
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'This type of call doesn't involve a blue light attendance and is over ridden by any more serious incident should it occur, i.e the crew was still available for call,' he wrote.
'This event did not affect the daily duties of the crew involved. We are a firefighting family and if we can help make a gesture like this happen we are only too happy to help (as long as it doesn't impact on our service delivery, obviously).'
Now the happy couple, from Hagley, near Stourbridge, have two children, Miya aged three, and 11-month-old Harper and have been together for six years.
Jodi's boss at the fire station has responded to the negative reaction by saying permission was sought for the 'grand gesture' and the crew was still available for serious incidents throughout the time they were on scene at the marriage proposal
Most people who saw the news on social media offered their congratulations to the couple
Ms Vincent, who has been a firefighter for 11 years, was delighted by the proposal.
She said: 'It was quite unusual, but we do get called out to people with rings on their fingers so I didn't think anything of it.
'I was completely unaware, and just thought it was a normal day.
'When we got the call we went off in the fire engine as normal, thinking it was a real job - but obviously it was all a set-up, and everyone knew apart from me.
'We were walking through the station and I noticed another fire truck on the other side, and thought it was a bit weird.
'But then at the last minute I saw my other half, and I finally twigged what was going on.
'I don't know why he decided to do it that way, but I know he'd been planning it for a while with all my colleagues - it was a nice surprise though.
'I was very shocked, and a bit overwhelmed - there were lots of people who had all stopped to watch, and when I cottoned onto what was happening I suddenly came over all shy.
'But it was very sweet, and Mark had put a lot of thought into it.'
Jodi (left) said of the fake call out (right): 'When you're a firefighter you're prepared for anything to happen, but it certainly was one of my more unusual days at work!'
She added: 'When you're a firefighter you're prepared for anything to happen, but it certainly was one of my more unusual days at work!'
Others who saw the post about the proposal on social media offered their congratulations.
Sandy Rudge wrote: 'How romantic. All the very best to you both.
'Our emergency services all do such a fantastic job and it is lovely to see an insight into one of their lives and to see them happy.
'Thank you for this cheerful update.'
Emma Jervis added: 'All the people moaning about waste of resources need some romance in their lives.'
A West Midlands Fire Service spokesperson said: 'We offer our congratulations to Jodi and Mark on what must be a very special day for them, and we wish them all the very best.
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