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It's pretty obvious to most people that wanting to know the ingredients of your McDonald's doesn't constitute an emergency.

But one 999 caller appeared not to have that conventional wisdom as he phoned an operator at West Midlands Police asking for culinary advice.

The force has released the audio of the call to reveal to the public the kind of nuisance calls they receive.

During the clip the man can be heard asking the emergency call operator to put him through to Bilston Police Station in Wolverhampton.

After a lengthy argument with the operator over his refusal to "do him a favour" and transfer him to the "cop shop", the rambling caller eventually reveals the true nature of his emergency.

He can be heard saying: "I am at McDonalds yeah, I'm asking for ingredients on the meal I'm eating...."

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The 999 call handler then interjects and says: "This is not a 999 emergency." before the man replies "Yes it is though."

The operator tells the man: "You needing to get ingredients in the things you are eating in McDonalds is not an emergency."

At this point the message seemingly gets through to the caller and he replies: "Is it not? Okey dokey."

The man then ends the conversation with an expletive, before the patient operator says: "Don't speak to me like that, please."

It is the second food related 999 call the force has released recently after a woman phoned earlier in the year to complain about topping on her ice cream.

Chief Superintendent Jim Andronov, head of the force's Contact Centre, warned time-wasters that their calls could cost lives.

He added: "Typically West Midlands Police receive over 1500 calls a day to the 999 number and our operatives have to deal with each one accordingly.

"Of these, some 10 to 20 per cent are not police matters and around 50 per cent are non-emergency calls where contact is appropriate via the 101 number.

"As well as the bizarre calls police also receive deliberate hoax calls which take up vital time.

"It's astonishing listening to them but they hide a serious truth.

"Each call often takes minutes to deal with as staff have to clarify the situation - it might not sound like much but, if someone is trying to get through to report a genuine life or death emergency, then a minute is a very long time to wait.

"I cannot stress enough that the 999 number is for emergencies only, for guidance this is defined as: a crime is in progress, someone suspected of a crime is nearby, when there is danger to life or when violence is being used or threatened.

"We do not want to discourage people from contacting the police so for any other reason call 101."

*** The 999 call in full ***

Caller: "Hello mate, are you in the West Midlands mate?"

Emergency call handler: "Yes, you're through to the police."

Caller: "Hello, whereabouts are you based?"

Emergency call handler:"You're through to West Midlands Police 999."

Caller "Bilston Street?"

Emergency call handler:"Not Bilston Street the 999 call centre."

Caller: "Okay mate do me a favour, you know Bilston Street Wolverhampton cop shop?"

Emergency call handler:"We don't transfer 999 calls, do you have an emergency?"

Caller: "I have an emergency yeah. Will you pass me through to...."

Emergency call handler: "If you have got an emergency, what's the emergency then? We don't transfer 999 calls, we don't have the facility to."

Caller: "Mate, do me a favour and pass me through to..."

Emergency call handler: "I've told you three times now we do not have the facility to transfer you."

Caller: "You've told me once mate."

Emergency call handler: "We do not have the facility to transfer you, what's the emergency?"

Caller: "What's the emergency? It's a waste of time even asking the police."

Emergency call handler: "If you have a 999 emergency tell me what the emergency is."

*INAUDIBLE*

Emergency call handler: "Are you going to let me speak or are you going to keep on talking over me?"

Caller: "Go on then, what's the problem?"

Emergency call handler: "This is a 999 emergency, if you have an emergency..."

Caller: "Every time I phone........"

Emergency call handler: "You're speaking over me again now, we're not going to get anywhere if you talk over me. If you have an emergency you tell me what it is.

"If you want to be speaking to an officer you need to call them directly."

Caller: "OK then, carry on."

Emergency call handler: "What's your emergency?"

Caller: "I'm at McDonalds yeah and I'm asking for ingredients on the meal I'm eating."

Emergency call handler: "This is not a 999 emergency."

Caller: "It is though."

Emergency call handler: "You needing to get the ingredients in the the things you are eating in McDonalds is not an emergency."

Caller: "Is it not?"

Emergency call handler: "No."

Caller: "Okey dokey."

Emergency call handler: "Is anyone being hurt or aggressive is anyone's life in danger at the moment?"

Caller: "Not right now."

Emergency call handler: "Right, OK."

Caller: "Go on mate *expletive*. Go on."

Emergency call handler: "Don't speak to me like that please."