A WOMAN from Wotton-under-Edge woman who had been making persistent false 999 phone calls was given a stark warning about the dangers of such a practice when she appeared before South Gloucestershire magistrates in Stroud on Friday.

Kimberley Coleman, 19, of Old Town, was charged with a public nuisance offence, having been caught making a false call from a kiosk in Bear Street last month.

The court heard Coleman had made more than 80 calls to the emergency services because she felt like a chat.

Having already made nine hoax calls on Tuesday, September 2, Coleman was caught by officers after hanging up and trying to run off along Bear Street.

Speaking at the time, Sgt Colin Ford said this sort of offence ties up police resources.

He stated: "Although this activity might seem like great fun at the time it is an abuse of the 999 system and ties up a particular line of the service which could be needed for a real emergency."

After her arrest, Coleman had admitted making numerous false calls to the emergency number. She conceded she may have been responsible for 73 calls between January and September.

Prosecutor Malcolm Hayes told the court: "Police were told to attend at the telephone kiosk. As the officers approached, they were contacted by their base to say the hoax caller was still on the line."

Terry McCarty, defending, said: "Kimberley said she rung the 999 operators because she felt like she needed someone to talk to."

Coleman was conditionally discharged for 18 months. Magistrates' chairman Alastair Brian Smith said: "When you make a call to the emergency services not only are you putting their lives at risk but also the lives of people who genuinely need their help."

Coleman was not ordered to pay costs.