IRRESPONSIBLE mobile phone users could be putting people's lives at risk.

The startling claim comes from Lancashire Police, who say the number of 999 calls they receive has dramatically increased due to an "explosion" in mobile phone use.

While most emergency calls are genuine, operators are receiving more and more 'silent' and non-emergency calls -- including one query about police topping up mobile phone credit!

Chief Inspector Val Prince said: "Operators in the communications centre work in an extremely stressful environment answering numerous calls, and members of the public must remember that the emergency 999 system must only be used when there is an immediate threat to life or property.

"Calling 999 when it is not an emergency ties up a line and could prevent or delay someone with a real emergency from getting through, which could cost lives. "In recent weeks we have taken calls from mobile users who are using the 999 emergency line as a switchboard facility to contact individual police officers, and with bizarre requests, such as 'can the police top up pay-as-you-go accounts?'

"This is in addition to the ever increasing number of silent calls that operators are taking when mobile phones are activated in error in people's pockets and bags."

The police are advising mobile phone users to use the key lock facility on their handset to prevent silent 999 calls to the police.

And they are urging mobile users to programme the local non-emergency police telephone number into their mobile and use that whenever the call does not require an immediate response from the police or other emergency services," said Mr Prince. For Preston Police Station call (01772) 203203 and for Leyland Police Station contact (01772) 433561.

The police call for careful thinking follows a similar plea from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service after they were flooded with non-emergency calls during recent bad weather.