Manchester hedgehog 999 call irresponsible, say police Published duration 23 December 2014

media caption The call handler tells the man the hedgehog is a "natural inhabitant of the British Isles" and "won't harm you"

An "irresponsible" 999 call about a hedgehog killing slugs in a garden has been released by police in Manchester.

The conversation includes the caller stating he is "a bit scared" and the handler reassuring him that the animal "won't harm you".

Calls about a vending machine not giving out treats, a shop not refunding a purchase and a pizza delivery being late were also released.

A spokesman said they showed the issues emergency call handlers can face.

Greater Manchester Police's business lead for call-handling Diane Grandidge said a "large percentage of calls that are received on 999 are either non-emergency or simply calls that should not be made to the police".

She added that the calls were a problem, because "we want to make sure we can respond appropriately and - if there is an emergency - get there quickly".