'Can I have a drink of water?' LISTEN to shocking prank 999 ambulance calls
This request for a drink of water is just one example of the shocking prank 999 calls made to West Midlands Ambulance Service on a regular basis.
Other such 'emergencies' include lost keys, fictitious car crashes and a scary hedgehog.
And as part of a week-long campaign, West Midlands Ambulance Service is releasing audio clips of these calls to highlight the regular abuse of the 999 phone line.
Staff will also be tweeting live from the region's emergency control rooms in an effort to boost awareness.
The aim is for a West Midlands-wide New Year's resolution for the public to appreciate the ambulance service.
Jeremy Brown, the service's general manager responsible for emergency operations centres, said: "My control room staff are currently dealing with around 3,000 999 calls a day.
"Despite us being an emergency service, it's truly shocking what people consider to be appropriate to call 999 for.
"We're here for genuine life-threatening emergencies such as chest pains, cardiac arrests and difficulty breathing."
