Derbyshire Police warn of hoax 999 calls after England fan calls to congratulate Harry Kane on goal

Derbyshire Police is reminding people that making hoax phone calls to emergency services is a criminal offence - after one man called 999 looking to congratulate Harry Kane following his Euro's goal against Slovakia.

The force says the man called the emergency services and asked: “Can you pass a message on to Harry Kane? … That was the goal of the European cup … that stressed me out, I can’t believe it.”

Hoax calls such as this use valuable resources and slow down the emergency service responses to genuine incidents, putting lives at risk.

Head of Contact Management Superintendent Adam Wilkins said: “Our call handlers work round the clock, dedicated to responding to those in need. It’s a high-pressure job, often dealing with people in their darkest hour.

He added: “Misusing 999 in this way is, at best, inconsiderate and frustrating for my staff. The worst-case scenario is that such time wasting could prove deadly, if someone with a genuine emergency can’t get through.”

The force says the man who made the call was warned about wasting police time, and no further action was taken.

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