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THE police control room at the centre of the M9 death crash scandal failed to respond to an emergency call just weeks earlier.

Police Scotland made a grovelling apology for the blunder after Bilston Glen ignored a call about rampaging youths in April.

Inspector Hannah Morrison said managers had “addressed” the “totally unacceptable” response after it was raised by local Labour MSP Alex Rowley.

Three months later, handlers at Bilston Glen did not pass on another call and tragedy struck.

Lamara Bell, 25, and John Yuill, 28, died after lying in their car off the M9 near Stirling for three days after a senior officer failed to log the call properly.

The new revelations will raise fresh concerns there is a systemic problem with call handling and that the M9 tragedy was not an isolated incident.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon , Justice Secretary Michael Matheson and Chief Constable Sir Stephen House all insisted there is no evidence of a wider problem with call handling.

Rowley said “mayhem” had broken out in Cowdenbeath Public Park on April 18.

A wheelie bin was set on fire and youths paraded naked and intimidated other local residents.

Despite a number of calls to police, only firefighters arrived.

Rowley complained to the police and received an apology from Morrison on June 10.

Her letter said: “Due to an error by a call taker at Bilston Glen control room … no local police units were alerted to or despatched to attend the incident.

“This matter has been addressed by senior managers at Bilston Glen … this was a totally unacceptable response from Police Scotland.

“Local residents were badly let down … on behalf of Police Scotland, I apologise.”

Rowley, who is standing to be deputy leader of Scottish Labour, said the incident raises questions about closing local control rooms and budget cuts.

He said: “Police Scotland and ministers were aware of problems at Bilston Glen raised by myself and many others.

The question needs to be asked – what did they do about it?”

He demanded a government review into whether the decision to merge Scotland’s eight regional forces was a mistake that should be reversed.

But the Scottish Government insisted the single force are “safeguarding policing in Scotland from Westminster budget cuts”.

A spokesman added: “Policing in Scotland is now more local and more accountable than ever, with an unprecedented level of scrutiny since the move to a single service.”

Lamara and John’s car was spotted in a field off the M9 on Sunday, July 5, and police were called.

No one investigated until a second call last Wednesday.

By that time John, 28, was dead.

Lamara, 25, who was injured and dehydrated, died in hospital on Sunday.

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