"THERE'S a squirrel lying on the ground" was just one of the time-wasting calls police have received in recent months.

West Mercia Police and Warwickshire Police are hoping to make members of the public aware of when they should call them, as part of the ongoing Operation Protect.

On average West Mercia Police receive a call every 48 seconds to the emergency number 999 and the non-emergency number 101.

One caller from the area called the police genuinely concerned about a squirrel lying on the ground in a park - it appeared to be dead but being unaware of which service to contact, they called the police.

Police said calls like these prevent their staff from answering more pressing queries and responding to those people who are more in need of police assistance.

The majority of the calls received are valid reports such as minor traffic collisions, stolen vehicles, or damaged property.

However, as well as genuine calls, they have seen an increase in misdirected calls about birds and animals, parcel delivery complaints, salary payment delays and noisy neighbours.

A common misconception is the police can intervene for issues of noise nuisances such as a dog barking or for graffiti removal from a public area - but their powers do not cover these matters and people are redirected to contact their local council.

Head of force contact, Chief Superintendent Steve Cullen, said: "The 101 number provides a vital service for people to contact us for non-emergency matters - but using it inappropriately detracts from all the cases where people genuinely need our help."

Many queries can be resolved with a simple internet search or a call to directory enquiries, so they are urging people to think before they call.