A woman from Brent dialled 999 because she overslept which is why the police are urging the public to use the emergency services sensibly during the festive season.

https://twitter.com/LAS_Brent/status/679771108179087360

The ridiculous call yesterday is one of many which are made during Christmas and the New Year which did not require a police response.

Other calls received include a woman complaining she had been served a cold kebab, a man whose 50p pence was stuck in a washing machine inside a laundrette and a caller asking where they could buy a bacon sandwich at 4am in the morning.

Paramedics from the London Ambulance Service who tweeted about the call from Brent visited the woman to give her guidance on how to use the emergency services correctly.

The Met is reminding the public that in a non-emergency they should call 101 not 999.

Chief Superintendent Pippa Mills, head of the Met’s Command and Control, said: “This is just a sample of inappropriate calls received by our operators this year. Callers, who do not have an emergency, may prevent others who require our immediate assistance from getting through to us. This presents a real risk to our ability to respond to genuine emergency calls.”

She added: “We want Londoners to have a safe and enjoyable festive season. In the event that officers are required, we need calls to reach us swiftly. I would like to take this opportunity to remind the public that, if it is not an emergency, then please dial 101, our non emergency number.”