People are being urged to think twice before dialling 999 as North Yorkshire Police come under significant strain this weekend.
There’s been a major spike in 999 calls to the York-based Force Control Centre over the past 48 hours.
Police say the combination of good weather, the start of half term and an influx in visitors to the county have resulted in the rise.
If it’s an emergency call 999, but if not dial 101 or contact the police online, the force says.
And if you accidentally dial 999, stay on the line – otherwise the police will waste time trying to call you back.
Superintendent Fiona Willey, head of customer contact at North Yorkshire Police, said: “The staff in our Force Control Room are working extremely hard to deal with the increased demand.
“The sunny weather will inevitably lead to more calls so we’re urging the public to consider if their call is necessary and if it’s a non-urgent matter, could it wait until after the weekend.
“It’s also important that members of the public consider which service they need. There are many agencies out there that can offer help and support.
“If it is a genuine emergency then we are here to help. Our staff are trained to triage every call through a threat, risk and harm assessment which leads to that call being prioritised accordingly.”
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