"I'VE got an itchy back", "My hot water bottle has gone cold" and "I want the TV channel changed" -- believe it or not, these are some of the reasons people in the West Country have dialled 999 for ambulance assistance this year.
But the problem itself must stop, say Westcountry Ambulance bosses, who warn that lives will be lost if vital emergency services are held up for such inane reasons.
Director of operations Steve Pryor said: "We want impress on people the importance of not wasting ambulance resources. If a genuine call is received and the crew is tied up with an inappropriate call, then lives will be put at risk."
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