Stunned police officers watch in disbelief as motorists try to change their number plates right in front of them near Ryton

Stunned police officers watched on in disbelief as motorists tried to change their number plates right in front of them after they were stopped near Ryton.

It turned out that the Ford Transit wasn't insured, wasn't taxed and didn't have a current MOT - as well as it displaying registration plates for another vehicle.

Drivers in the van initially tried to escape police after Warwickshire Rural Crime Team (WRCT) officers became suspicious of their behaviour.

A spokesperson for the WRCT said: "The driver of this Ford Transit decided to pull the old "drive around the roundabout and go back the way we came" trick after spotting our officers near Ryton on Dunsmore.

"On witnessing this perfectly normal behaviour our curiosity peaked, so we decided to have a little chat about the clearly unsecured load being carried.

"The driver however decided they didn't want to speak to officers and failed to stop when instructed."

The vehicle eventually came to a stop just a short distance away - and that is when their behaviour turned even more bizarre.

"The driver and passengers then decided to play a little game of musical chairs inside the vehicle before exiting and running off," added the WRCT spokesperson.

"Other people around the vehicle tried to swap the registration plates right in front of officers in the hope we wouldn't recognise the bright blue Transit tipper.

"It turns out the vehicle wasn't insured, wasn't taxed and didn't have a current MOT as well as it displaying registration plates for another vehicle.

"Unsurprisingly we seized the vehicle along with its contents and associated registration plates. Somehow we don't think anyone will be coming to the station to claim it."

Officers will now be reviewing their body worn video footage as well as other available video footage to find who the driver was, adding: "We'll then be paying them a little visit to have that chat."