A NUISANCE caller phoned 999 from Sports Direct in Bury because he was not given a cash refund for a pair of trainers.

A recording has been released by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) as call handlers prepare for one of the busiest periods of the year.

During the call, the man insists Sports Direct in the Woodfield Retail Park has stolen his money because staff have only offered him a credit note for the trainers.

He adds: “They won’t give me my money back for these trainers what I’ve bought. It’s theft. It’s theft. I want me money back.”

The caller, who refuses to give his name, is told that the issue is not an emergency or even a police matter, and that he needs to take it up with Trading Standards.

The call lasts two minutes and 41 seconds.

GMP chiefs are urging people to make sure that they use the 999 emergency line responsibly over the festive period.

Last year New Year’s Eve saw the most calls to GMP’s 999 line, with 3,451 calls received last year between 5pm and 5am – 56 of which were hoaxes or nuisance calls.

Other irresponsible 999 calls made in the last year include a caller fearing for their safety because a hedgehog lurks in their garden and they are “a bit scared”.

Another is in distress after a hospital vending machine does not give him his snack, despite accepting his money.

The final call released is a recording of a man who wants to complain to police because his pizza has taken more than 45 minutes to be delivered.

Diane Grandidge, GMP’s business lead for call-handling, said: “A large percentage of calls that are received on 999 are either non-emergency or simply calls that should not be made to the police.

“At this time of year many people are celebrating with friends and family and enjoying the festivities however, for those situations that need police attendance, we want to make sure that we can respond appropriately and - if there is an emergency - get there quickly.

“We want to ensure that there are no delays in responding to an emergency call, therefore we will continue to urge the public to think before they dial 999.”

The 999 number is reserved for emergency calls only, with 101 available for non-emergency calls.

An emergency call should only be made if there is an immediate threat to life or property or if a crime is in progress.

To listen to the calls – complete with subtitles – go to the GMP Youtube channel.