POLICE Scotland call handers dealt with hundreds of abandoned calls over the festive period which has prompted a warning to mobile phone users.

The force said they received 807 abandoned 999 calls between 6am on Christmas Day and 6am the next day.

Officers have seen the number of dropped calls to the emergency line steadily increase and are predicting a surge over the festive season as people get to grips with gifts of new mobile phones and portable technology.

Children being given their parents' phones are also thought to be responsible for a number of these calls, as are phones being put into pockets or handbags without the screen being locked.

Chief Superintendent Roddy Newbigging said: “We appreciate accidents happen, that children can hit buttons and not understand the consequences. But the impact of hundreds of dropped 999 calls a day adds up. Each 999 call has to be investigated to ensure the safety of the caller. That ranges from cross-referencing the number on our systems to see if there have been previous calls, to calling back the number. This all takes up time which could be spent handling genuine emergency situations and helping people in times of real distress.

“Our advice is simple – if you call 999 by accident, and the call is answered, please explain what’s happened. It’ll only take a few seconds and will enable the call to be cleared with no issues.”

In a true emergency, Police Scotland can always be reached by dialling 999. If you need police assistance and it’s not an emergency, please call 101.