Huge rise in 999 call-outs to rescue YouTube pranksters

CALL-OUTS by the emergency services to people filming pranks to put on YouTube have risen by more than twothirds in five years.

Police, fire and ambulance crews responded to at least 2,794 incidents related to the video-sharing website last year, compared to around 1,680 in 2012.

Data released under Freedom of Information laws revealed the extraordinary number of cases linked to the public recording stunts to put on the Googleowned platform.

Figures showed the top area for YouTube stupidity was Merseyside with 457 incidents in 2017, followed by West Yorkshire with 349. The rail network had 41 YouTube incidents last year, according to the British Transport Police.

Prank videos are estimated to earn YouTube several hundred million pounds because it takes 40 per cent of advertising revenue from each user.

Recent cases include Jay Swingler, 22, from Wolverhampton, who used seven bags of Polyfilla to cement his head into a microwave and filmed it.

Fire station Commander Simon Woodward said last month: ‘The service charge for that would be £650. We’re not going to charge because his life was in danger.’