Vehicle inspectors swooped on a Derbyshire school’s annual leaving event and found problems with nine out of 10 limousines hired by pupils.

More than 300 year-11 pupils from John Port School in Etwall were celebrating their last day of compulsory schooling in style when inspectors from the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency moved in.

They had been alerted to the leavers’ event by a car hire company concerned by the growth in limousines and hire vehicles cashing in on the celebrations.

A VOSA spokeswoman said: “We were asked to attend and so we notified the school in advance of our intention.

“We were checking for mechanical defects, tyres and loading as well as for valid MOTs, operator licences and checking drivers’ hours. Unfortunately 90% of the vehicles checked were found to have licence or vehicle problems.”

South Derbyshire District Council and the police helped with the inspections.

A spokesman said defects were spotted on five of the vehicles, including problems with tyres, a lack of power steering and no seatbelts.

Other problems included vehicles not having the relevant operator’s licence, while one driver was reported to the police for driving not in accordance with a licence, he said.

Prohibition notices were given to eight of the vehicles. The drivers or owners will have to provide proof they are roadworthy before being allowed to operate again.

Traditionally, pupils club together to hire a variety of vehicles to travel to school on their final day, clothed in evening dresses and tuxedos.

The trend for hiring limousines, particularly by school leavers, has grown in recent years and this has prompted VOSA to run spot checks nationally during May, when many schools also have prom events in the evenings.

The VOSA spokeswoman said: “Anyone hiring limousines should make sure that they are being carried in a licensed vehicle and that it carries the appropriate paperwork.”

Vehicles with more than eight passenger seats used for hire must be operated by an individual or company that has been granted a PCV (formerly PSV) operator’s licence.

Councillor John Bladen, of the district council, said: “The results show we were right to carry out the checks.

“Licensed companies need to undertake necessary checks to make sure the vehicles are roadworthy and safe and drivers are vetted.

“Only if the vehicle has been properly examined will it be safe to carry members of the public.”

A spokesman for John Port School confirmed that pupils were unaware of the inspections.

He said: “We did not want to spoil the day but did not object to them being carried out.

“Pupils were only being carried one way in the vehicles so it did not affect them going home at the end of the day.

“We are shocked about the outcome of the inspections and will be issuing guidance to pupils and parents about hiring vehicles in future years.”

Mark Pinfield, who runs the Hire Brigade and drives a pink former Coventry Fire Brigade engine, said he was questioned about an operator’s licence.

He said: “I see why these things have to be done to keep people safe.”

VOSA says there are some useful questions parents can ask when inquiring about limousine hire.

Do you have an operator’s licence and what is the licence number?

How many passengers can your limousine carry? If more than eight, then the limousine must have a Certificate of Initial Fitness.

Does the limousine have a tachograph fitted? Any limousine with more than eight seats must have a tachograph fitted.

What type of licence does the chauffeur hold? All chauffeurs driving a limousine with more than eight seats must have a PCV (previously known as PSV) licence.

Source: thisisderbyshire.co.uk