A 999 queue jumping allegation has been denied by Pennine Division boss Chief Supt Mike Griffin.

He was questioned by Burnley MP Peter Pike, during a Police and Community Forum at Rosehill School.

Mr Pike said it had been alleged to him that a certain number of 999 calls made to Burnley police station were going into a queuing system which could be overcome by people ringing back and jumping ahead of the queue.

"Is it true and if so has it now been eradicated?" he asked.

Chief Supt Griffin said it was news to him and he did not believe there was any truth in it.

They had a requirement to answer 999 calls within 10 seconds and that was done in more than 90 per cent of cases.

Non-emergency calls had to be answered within 15 seconds and they were hitting that target in 95 per cent of cases.

Delays could result in non-emergency calls if police were busy, for example, responding to a firearms incident.

Chief Supt Griffin said people could jump the queue for non-emergency calls by using the 999 number. He urged the public not to ring 999 unless it was in relation to a real emergency.

He added: "We are looking at the situation all the time and if there are problems we are keen to sort them out."

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