Peterborough man called 999 to ask for help with passport application

The call is one of a number of ridiculous examples of how people misuse the 999 service revealed by the East of England Ambulance Service this week.

The Trust is urging people to treat 999 respectfully and use it only in emergency situations.

In the last few months the East of England Ambulance Service has recieved calls from:

* a man in Peterborough who needed assistance with his passport.

* a man in Cambridgeshire who had been scratched by a cat.

* a woman in Essex who asked for help cleaning her toilet.

* a woman in Norwich who panicked after drinking two energy drinks.

* a woman in Essex who had found a critically ill cat on her property.

* a man in Luton who felt sick after drinking a fizzy drink too quick.

“It is extremely disappointing that people continue to call 999 for inappropriate reasons,” Gary added. “We’d urge them to think twice about calling the emergency ambulance service if it is not a life-threatening or serious medical emergency. We want to help people, and that’s what we’re here to do – but every call we get that isn’t a genuine problem for us is a call which takes away from someone who needs help fast.”