Nosebleeds, roadworks and a broken Sky TV box - the ridiculous reasons for calling 999

People have been reminded to only call 999 if it is a genuine emergency. Credit: PA
Roadworks, nosebleeds and broken Sky boxes were among the ridiculous reasons people have called 999, according to Essex Police. Credit: PA

Time-wasting callers put lives at risk by phoning 999 to moan their Sky TV box had stopped working, to complain about a nosebleed - and that there were too many roadworks.

Essex Police has released a selection of the ridiculous reasons people dialled the emergency number in recent days - including someone who called 999 on Sunday to ask what the time was.

Just the day before, someone called the emergency number to ask for the non-emergency number.

It has now issued a reminder to people to use the emergency number only in genuine emergencies, and warned that wasting call-handlers' time could block those in need from getting through.

"My Sky system is just playing up... It's not working each time I try to use it," the male caller says, in audio released by the force.

Other inappropriate calls included someone telling the force "there is a snake in the garden", while one man called 999 to ask: "Why are they doing roadworks on the M11 in Essex? You can't get on the M11 at Woodford to go northbound."

Essex Police said that only one in five calls to its 999 control room genuinely required an emergency response.

"Calls like these delay us from answering a call from someone who is faced with an emergency," said a spokesman.

"Those few seconds could make a huge difference to someone.

"Please only call 999 if someone's life or property is in danger or a crime is taking place."

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