Days to pick up 999 calls

POLICE can take days to respond to 999 calls, a watchdog has revealed.

Emergencies graded as needing a “prompt” reply require action within 60 minutes.

About a quarter of forces in England and Wales are “all too often overwhelmed by demand”, warns Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.

Its annual assessment found thousands of calls held in queues in a system “under severe strain”.