Unhappy ice-cream customer dials 999 to complain there's not enough sprinkles on her cone: 'It doesn't seem like an emergency but it is'

West Midlands Police releases 'unbelievable' audio of row by ice cream van

She begs: 'He's refusing to give my money back. How do I deal with this?'

Wasting police time: A woman called 999 because her ice cream lacked enough chocolate sprinkles

A woman dialled 999 because she was sold an ice cream without enough chocolate sprinkles and told police: ' It doesn't seem like much of an emergency - but it is'.

West Midlands Police has released the audio and admitted they found the plea to the emergency services 'unbelievable' because someone in danger could have been trying to get through.



The caller contacted them while arguing with the owner of an ice cream van because she was unhappy with what she was served.



During the minute-long call, the indignant woman told the operator: 'It doesn't seem like much of an emergency but it is a little bit because I've ordered an ice cream and he's put bits on one side and none of the other.

'He's refusing to give me my money back and saying that I've got to take it like that.'

In the minute long call, she says: 'Hello I'm sorry to ring, I know it doesn't seem much of an emergency but I'm at an ice cream van and I've ordered an ice cream, yeah?

'And the person has basically he's given me the ice cream and put the bits on one side, none on the other.

'I said can you do it properly please and he's like that "no, no" he's not doing it properly.

'I said OK fine then can I have my money back and you can keep your ice cream and he is refusing to give me the money back and saying I've got to take it like that.'

At this point the frustrated 999 caller interjects and tells her: 'Its not really a police matter, it's a civil matter.'

The unapologetic woman still presses the operator and asks: 'How do I deal with this?'

ICE CREAM CRIME: POLICE DEAL WITH STRING OF 999 TIME WASTERS

It was the latest in a string of crank calls to the 999 services across the West Midlands Police force region in recent months. Only on Monday the force had a call from a homeowner who wanted to report a rat in her kitchen. And last year police released a recording of a man who dialled police to complain about a prostitute's looks after meeting her outside a hotel. Another caller sought help from emergency operators after forgetting her Facebook password, while a man dialled 999 to ask how to dial the 101 non-emergency number. A separate 'emergency' call was made by a member of public reporting a spiritual healer as a fraud, while another asked police 'to come out to frighten his sister.' Other bizarre calls included a man phoning to claim to have found a hair in his food at a fast food restaurant.

She is then told to contact Citizens Advice Bureau or Trading Standards to which the woman replies: 'How do I contact them then because I'm standing outside the van right now.'

The call ends shortly after the call handler tells her: 'Try the internet....this is a 999 life or death emergency line.'

West Midlands Police's Force Contact team tweeted from their account on Sunday: '999 call from adult female who was reporting an ice cream vendor for not putting enough chocolate sprinkles on her cone... #unbelievable'

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

He added: '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.