A group of teenage girls stranded after their limousine broke down made it to their high school prom after being rescued by a RIOT VAN.
Rhiannan Green, 15, and her three friends had already suffered a major disappointment after the fire engine limousine they had booked was cancelled just hours before they were supposed to leave for the prom.
But the replacement limo that had been sent to take them to the ball broke down while the girls were en route to the prom at Tankersley Manor, Rotherham, South Yorks.
Fortunately for the former Rawmarsh Comprehensive, Rotherham, pupils, police officers in a riot van came to their rescue, dropping them off at the prom on time and scooping the gong for best vehicle in the process.
Rhiannan’s dad Chris Green said: “They had been planning their prom night for months.
“With three hours to go, the fire engine we booked was cancelled by the company.
“They sent a replacement pink limousine but it was clearly the oldest car they had. It sounded like it had no exhaust and it was held together with rust.
“Ten minutes after they set off, we had a phone call from Rhiannon to say they had broken down and smoke was pouring out of the engine.
“The driver had even used their bottle of non-alcoholic bubbly to put the fire out.
“Then police in a riot van had noticed what was happening, stopped and put all four girls in their van, and took them up to Tankersley Manor.
“We’re grateful to the police for saving the day. Rhiannan and the girls even won the award for best vehicle.”
Superintendent Caroline Rollitt from South Yorkshire Police said: “The incidents our officers deal with are varied and far-reaching, as this story demonstrates.
“We’re only too happy to provide assistance to people in need and we hope the girls had a lovely evening at their prom after an eventful journey.”
Rhiannan was on her way to the prom with mates Georgina Hellewell, Lydia Miller and Natalie Cheetham.
Natalie’s mum, Nicola Kilner, said: “The girls wanted something different to get to the prom in, instead of the standard limo, but at the last hour the fire engine failed its MOT.
“The company sent this pink limousine as a replacement but it set on fire just after they got onto the motorway.
“It started coming out of the driver’s footwell so he pulled over and started dousing it with a bottle of pop from the back.
“That’s when the police turned up in the riot van.
“When they realised there were four girls stranded trying to get to the prom they said: ‘do you want to hop in?’.
“When they got to the prom everyone thought it was amazing.
“It was really nice of the police to that for them.”
