WITH The Ashes barely 24 hours away, England's fun police have stepped in to ensure that nobody has a good time.

Billy Cooper, aka Billy the trumpeter, has been banned from blowing his horn in the first Test at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.

The much-loved musician is a highly-accomplished performer who holds an honours degree in music, and regularly plays in orchestras. He has been a regular fixture among the Barmy Army on Australian tours, and is considered part and parcel of the colour and noise of an Ashes series.

Until now.

Nobody is happy about the ban, least of all England's cricketers. Batsman Kevin Pietersen, who has been known to blow his own trumpet from time to time, took to Twitter to call the move a "DISGRACE".

Absolute DISGRACE that Trent Bridge have stopped our very vocal '12th man' @billbarmytrump from playing at 1st Ashes Test! — Kevin Pietersen (@KP24) July 6, 2013

England spinner Graeme Swann also put his social media weight behind Cooper, using the #LetBillyBlowhisTrumpet hashtag.

"The players are all in favour of Billy blowing his trumpet wherever we are," Swann told leading cricket website ESPNcricinfo.com. "He is the unspoken 12th man for us when we are on tour and in big series at home, so I think it's a real shame he's not allowed to play here."

England cricket officials have reportedly approached authorities at Trent Bridge Nottinghamshire to see if a compromise can be reached, but it appears the ban on musical instruments will hold fast.

The man at the centre of the furore, whose Twitter handle is @billbarmytrump, wrote that he was "Disappointed. Gutted".

Just to clarify that Trent Bridge have said I can't play at the 1st test. Very disappointed. ECB were supportive but it's up to the ground. — Billy Cooper (@billbarmytrump) July 5, 2013

Cooper was once thrown out of the Gabba in Brisbane, before authorities made a special dispensation and allowed him back in.

No such allowance has been made in Nottingham, and it is now thought that he will play from the balcony of a nearby hotel. His choice of material should be interesting.

What do you think he should play?

Continue the conversation via Twitter @billbarmytrump | @antsharwood | @newscomauHQ