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Groom spends stag do in Newcastle instead of Vegas after pal ‘spent the £8,000 kitty’

<em>Ben Whincup (right) and his friends heading to his alternative stag-do in Newcastle (SWNS)</em>
Ben Whincup (right) and his friends heading to his alternative stag-do in Newcastle (SWNS)

A groom who had been hoping to spend his stag do in Las Vegas had to settle for Newcastle after a pal allegedly spent the £8,000 kitty.

Ben Whincup, 31, claims the mate organising his stag do called him the night before to admit he’d booked nothing, and the money was gone.

Ben, who ties the knot with fiance Emma next month, said he planned to go to America on Thursday with three pals, his dad, two brothers-in-law and another friend.

But he claims it was cancelled after he got a call from the organising friend at 8pm on Wednesday.

Rugby coach Ben from Swindon went to his home town centre on Thursday instead before heading to Newcastle for a replacement stag do on Saturday.

Ben said: “I got the call at 8pm Wednesday night to say there was no stag do booked.

<em>The group were meant to be flying to Las Vegas for a stag do in the States (Pixabay)</em>
The group were meant to be flying to Las Vegas for a stag do in the States (Pixabay)

“We were meant to be flying at 6am the following morning – my dad was even on the way to the airport.

“A couple of the lads who were meant to be coming to Vegas were staying with me so we tried to think of a plan B.

“We sat around the kitchen table in absolute shock. I still can’t believe it.

“We ended up out in Swindon on Thursday night, which was meant to be our first night on the strip.

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“Not quite what we had in mind, but we drowned our sorrows and got in at 5am the next morning.

“More lads turned up than were coming to Vegas as a show of support.”

He added: “Despite everything I’m really looking forward to tonight.

“Sometimes spontaneous nights are the best ones, so we’ll just have to see what Newcastle has to offer us.”

<em>The stag party ended up spending their stag do in Newcastle (Wikipedia)</em>
The stag party ended up spending their stag do in Newcastle (Wikipedia)

Ben said one of the stag members is already in Las Vegas after travelling to Nevada from New Zealand.

He said his mum has set up a Go Fund Me page for family to donate – but said he doesn’t expect members of the public to contribute.

A 27-year-old man from Swindon has now been arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation, police said.

A Wiltshire Police spokeswoman added: “He has been released under investigation. Our enquiries are continuing.”