Emergency services have released a shocking tape of a woman who called 999 to report a broken egg in her fridge.
Ambulance crews have also released details on other time wasting calls, which have prompted call handlers from East Midlands Ambulance Service to remind the public only to dial 999 in the event of a real emergency.
In the call about the broken egg the unknown caller phoned 999 saying she "just needed some advice" after an egg had broken and she wanted to know if she could keep it in her fridge.
After the call handler told the woman that she could not advise about her eggs, to which the woman replies: "Well, who can we ring?"
Other inappropriate calls have included someone with a broken toenail, someone who wanted a taxi home and a patient at a GP's surgery, who did not want to wait the 30 minutes for their appointment so called an ambulance.
Simon Tomlinson, general manager for EMAS’s emergency operations centres, said he wanted to remind people to only dial 999 in the event of a real emergency.
He also urged people to remember that there are other options available if they need medical health, such as calling NHS 111, contacting their GP or a pharmacist, or visiting an NHS walk-in centre.
He said: "When you call 999 because someone is unconscious, not breathing, having chest pains or has the symptoms of a stroke, you are making the right call.
"Our emergency call handlers are trained to deliver life-saving instructions over the phone and we will get help to you as quickly as possible.
"Every 999 call is assessed so that the right help is provided to the right people as quickly as possible.
"You could receive the right treatment for you more quickly by contacting an alternative NHS service, such as your local pharmacy or NHS 111, particularly if your call is not a serious emergency.
"Please help us to make sure we can reach the people who need us the most."
EMAS has also released a list of other time wasting 999 calls which include:
- A person pouring milk over their body – as part of an art installation who called for help
- Someone who wanted sleeping tablets
- Someone with toothache
- Someone reporting a fox was dead
- A person at a GP surgery but didn't want to wait 30 minutes for an appointment
- Someone whose drinking glass had been stolen
- A person who wanted their bandage changing
- A person who wanted someone to make them breakfast
- Someone who wanted a taxi
- A person whose big toenail had come off
EMAS said it received 59,349 999 calls in December 2017 – and a small proportion of these were inappropriate calls.
