Man dials 999 to find out how to defrost turkey

Stressful Christmas Day? Likewise. Only went and botched up the parsnips.

Alas, one man was so thrown by the worries of cooking Christmas din-dins he resorted to calling the emergency services to find out how to defrost his turkey.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) have released a recording of the call (below) in a bid to deter others from wasting their time.

On average, GMP handles 1,400 emergency calls each day, but last New Year’s Eve there were 3,228 – more than twice as many.

Diane Grandidge, GMP’s business lead for call handling, said: “The 999 number is only to be used in emergencies where there is a threat to life or property or a crime in progress.

“I would therefore urge people to think carefully before dialling, as that way we can focus our efforts on real emergencies.”

“With our busiest night approaching we are preparing to receive thousands of emergency calls, and silly pranks or thoughtless requests for assistance can have a major impact on those who need a fast police response.

“We don’t want there to be any delays in dealing with genuine emergencies.”

Image: Rex