Hi, police? I’ve had my eyebrows plucked and it really hurt
PUBLIC ARE URGED TO THINK TWICE BEFORE CALLING 999
A WOMAN called 999 to report a beauty therapist for ‘hurting her’ when she plucked her eyebrows.
Unsurprisingly, she was quickly shut down by the call handler, who told her it was not a police emergency.
The call was one of more than 8,000 to the force over the weekend – the highest number in two years.
In an audio clip released by GMP, the woman is heard addressing the call handler as ‘darling’ before telling her she booked an appointment to have her eyebrows tinted and plucked the day before.
She claimed the beauty therapist had ‘hurt her’ and failed to do an allergy test for the dye.
The woman said: “Hi there darling. I need to report a crime please.”
The call handler replied: “Yes, what’s happened?”
The woman continues: “Basically what it is, is I’ve gone and had my eyebrows done yesterday.
“I’ve rang her and asked her if she’s got any appointments to have my eyebrows tint and plucked.
“I’ve gone there basically and she’s hurt me and she’s done my eyebrows without a skin patch test.”
At that point, the call handler interrupts.
She tells the woman: “That does not sound like a police emergency, this sounds like a trading standards complaint.
“If you’re not happy with the procedure go to trading standards, okay?”
The woman replies: “Yeah, no problem.”
“If you ain’t gonna deal with it I’ll deal with it,” she adds, before hanging up.
Police are urging people to think twice before calling following unprecedented demand at the weekend.
From 7am on Saturday to 7am on Monday, the force received 5,229 calls to 999, and 3,121 to 101.
Deputy Chief Con Ian Pilling said: “We work really hard to deal with everything that comes into us in the best and most efficient way possible and remain committed to protecting the people of Greater Manchester.
“However, we’ve seen an unprecedented amount of calls coming into us this weekend and we are struggling to help those that need us most as a result.
“This past weekend we saw almost 8,500 calls in 48 hours. The hot weather, weekend drinking and the World Cup all played a factor in an increase in calls to us, all of which are set to continue this week with the semi-final on Wednesday.
“We need the public to work with us, think before they call and do everything they can to support each other and keep our communities safe. Please think before you pick up the phone.
“We’re always here to help anyone who needs us, and always will be, but everyone needs to play their part.
“I’d also like to ask people to look out for themselves and each other, particularly on Wednesday night.
“We saw an increase in antisocial, inappropriate and frankly unacceptable behaviour from some people on Saturday. Please let’s not see a repeat of this.”