TWENTY revellers dressed in tuxedos and ball gowns are found crammed into a HORSE BOX

Twenty people were discovered hiding in a horse trailer by police in Warwickshire as they headed to a nearby ball in what officers described as a ‘dangerous’ ‘pre-ball party wagon’.

The Warwickshire Rural Crime Team (WRCT) were conducting night-time checks of trailers and plant machinery on the busy A422 near Banbury on November 19, following an increase in local thefts.

They stopped a 4×4 towing a trailer at 10.45pm and expected to find horses inside – but the woman driving the car informed officers she was not towing any animals and was instead off to a ball.

Warwickshire police slammed the partygoers, saying there could have been ‘carnage’ and the group ‘had no understanding of just how dangerous this situation was.’

The group were removed from the trailer by police, who said the party did get to the ball on time

The driver, 39, was reported at the scene for various offences.

The force said on Sunday one of the officers heard ‘shuffling and tapping’ coming from inside the trailer, and feared a horse had somehow snuck its way inside without the owner’s knowledge.

But they were shocked to find 20 ballgoers dressed in black tie crowded onto hay bales in the small space instead.

Footage shared by the WCRT showed the trailer being opened and police greeting the surprised group.

The officer, who seemed unimpressed, told them: ‘Unfortunately you are all going to have to walk to the venue.’ 

One attendee asked: ‘Is it far?’

The officer said: ‘I don’t know, but it’s better than dying in the back of a trailer this evening.’ 

The group were helped out of the vehicle but did not seem to grasp the seriousness of the situation. One said: ‘You can’t kill vermin officer.’ 

Police told the group they faced a ‘very, very, very, very busy road’, to which the group retorted: ‘We would’ve have been safer in that than we would’ve walking.’

The officer told them: ‘Up until the point when somebody hits you and you end up dead on the road.’

The group of 20, all dressed in ball gowns and tuxedos, were crammed tightly into the back of the horse box

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They did not appear pleased about being told to ‘walk’, claiming they would have been safer in the vehicle

Police officers told them walking was ‘better than dying in the back of a trailer’

Warwickshire Police said: ‘Unfortunately, it’s apparent from comments made to officers by those inside the trailer that they had no understanding of just how dangerous this situation was’

The remaining guests appeared rather sheepish as they exited the trailer and one woman apologised to police as she passed. 

A spokesman from the WRCT said today: ‘Near Upton House and Gardens on the A422, officers spoke with a driver of a 4×4 that was towing a horse box.

‘Initially the driver confirmed she wasn’t transporting any horses or livestock and she was in fact off to a ball nearby.

‘Officers then headed over to the trailer to make note of any security marking/vin number, so that checks could be conducted.

‘While looking at the vin number, one of the officers heard some shuffling and tapping coming from inside the trailer.

‘Initially the officer was concerned that a horse must have snuck itself into the trailer, without the knowledge of the driver.

‘On opening the trailer, some 20 attendees of the ball had opted to utilise the trailer as some sort of pre-ball party wagon transport.

‘The 39-year-old driver was reported at the scene for several offences, while other officers facilitated Cinderella getting to the ball safely with her extensive entourage.

‘We can only be thankful that the officers hadn’t had to attend a very serious road traffic collision involving the vehicle and trailer.

‘Unfortunately, it’s apparent from comments made to officers by those inside the trailer that they had no understanding of just how dangerous this situation was.

‘They had no idea of the danger they put themselves in had there been an accident and the trailer was flung off the road with them inside. It could have been carnage.’