A MAN contacted 999 to say he was stuck on a patch of ice in a street in Bolton... and was too scared to go forwards or backwards.

It was one of 1,377 999 calls made to the police over Christmas.

Another included a woman who dialled 999 to report her cat was playing with string and it was "doing her head in".

Police are today appealing to the public to only call 999 in an emergency after the Force received 1,377 999 calls over Christmas.

Of all the 999 calls made between midday Christmas Day and midday Boxing Day only a fraction were actual emergencies, they say.

Superintendent Karan Lee, GMP’s head of call handling, said: “Following the introduction of new telephony technology earlier in the year we are now answering calls in an average time of five seconds for 999 emergency and 15 seconds for the non emergency calls. However we are still expecting a high volume of 999 calls on New Years Eve.

“Research tells us that a very high percentage of these will not actually be related to an emergency. I urge people to think first and only dial 999 in an emergency, where there is threat to life or property, so that we can focus on the real emergencies. If you do have to call us, please be patient and appreciative that there may be some delays in answering your calls.

“New Year's Eve is the Force's busiest night, and we are now preparing to receive thousands of emergency calls and silly pranks can have a major impact on members of the public who need the police. I don’t want a person to call 999 and be delayed because someone else is calling to report something that is not an emergency or, worse still, a deliberate joke.”

Last new year GMP’s call handlers dealt with more than 2,400 emergency calls in just six hours after midnight, and thousands more were taken on the Force’s non-emergency number. People should ring 0161 872 5050 for anything that’s not an emergency or to report a crime, and to ring their Neighbourhood Policing Team with any concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour in their local area.