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Spider On Pillow Among 'Trivial' 999 Calls

Spider On Pillow Among 'Trivial' 999 Calls

Firefighters hoping to eliminate unnecessary 999 calls have released some their most "trivial" requests, including a spider crawling on a pillow and a squirrel wedged behind a wardrobe.

London Fire Brigade received around 100 non-emergency calls a week in the past year.

Animals and creepy crawlies featured prominently in the list of weird calls to its control room.

One person phoned in to report a fox in their garden and another to seek advice about a bat in their kitchen.

An elderly woman dialled 999 after throwing a glass of water containing her false teeth at fighting dogs, while another asked firefighters to help retrieve a shoe stuck on a roof.

Senior Officer Dave Brown said: "Our advice is simple - if it's not an emergency, don't ring 999.

"If you're calling because you have a serious phobia, then arrange for a housemate, friend or neighbour to help you.

"If you're calling because there's an unexpected animal in your home, call the RSPCA.

"Firefighters are here (to help) but we can't be on speed dial when something trivial happens.

"We are here to respond to real emergencies, so if you do find a squirrel in your kitchen or you lose your keys down the toilet, don't dial 999."