Woman calls police over supermarket overcharge

A woman called 999 to tell police she paid the wrong amount for squash in Morrisons and police are not impressed by calls of this nature

The disgruntled shopper was left dismayed when she realised she had only been given one "fruit and barley" instead of two she expected in a deal offered by the supermarket.

In a call to the police, she said: "It was two for £1.20, or two for £1.50, and he's only given me one fruit and barley. I'm trying to reach Morrisons and I can't get through - they keep hanging up."

The operator responded: "This is not a police matter and it's certainly not a 999 emergency. This is a mistake on behalf of the shop."

Northumbria police's Chief Superintendent Neil Hutchison has commented on the matter, and said while they might seem amusing, they can cause problems for the emergency services.

He said: "Calls like these might seem harmless and even funny, but they create a huge demand on the staff working in the communications centre who could otherwise be busy dealing with genuine emergencies.

"Hundreds of calls come into our communications centres every day and we want to be able to deliver an outstanding service to everyone who gets in touch."

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