Guests at Ashurst's Christmas party last week were treated to an unexpected display of pole dancing.

The firm took over the Bloomsbury Big Top, a glamorous 800 seat venue in Coram's Fields, for its Christmas bash. The event was meant to have a circus theme which, according to the organiser's website, looks like this:


However, staff were alarmed to discover that one part of the evening looked more like this:


A spokeswoman for the firm said that "the event was organised by an external company and the firm understood that this was a standard circus themed Christmas party which involved a variety of circus acts including jugglers, people on stilts and trapeze hoop. Needless to say, the acrobatic performances around poles came as somewhat of a surprise."

Meanwhile, there have been reports of bad behaviour at other City firms' parties: one lawyer left a comment on RollOnFriday claiming that he went to the gents at his firm's event to find "a female partner on her knees in front of one of our 'biggest' clients. What could I do? I said 'hi there' and carried on emptying my bladder as planned. Needs must."

And insiders have told RollOnFriday that the managing director of a large legal aid firm was caught in a "compromising situation" with a female trainee in the firm's board room.

Send in details of office party sexploits and we'll publish a round-up of the best/worst in the New Year.