Two teenage girls have been arrested after they called emergency services to order a taxi because they had 'run out of money'.

Greater Manchester Police officers responded to the 999 call as they were concerned about the welfare of the young women, aged 16 and 17, on Saturday (May 27).

The pair had called the police in the early hours, at around 2.30am, after they allegedly run out of money to afford a taxi home.

When officers arrived, they then arrested the teens who were wanted in connection with a previous criminal damage offence relating to an incident at Piccadilly station in February this year.

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The 16-year-old has been charged with criminal damage while the 17-year-old has been released under investigation.

Chief Inspector Matthew Jackson, head of dispatch at GMP's Force Contact, Crime and Operations branch, said: "GMP receives around 5,000 calls a day, 2,000 of which are 999 calls with the vast majority from people in a genuine emergency.

"However, people ringing 999 for inappropriate reasons are potentially putting lives at risk by taking call handlers’ time away from genuine emergency calls, keeping people in danger waiting for longer and putting lives at risk.

"The use of the 999 system is for emergencies only and we have other channels where you can speak with us including online, LiveChat and 101, and Crimestoppers."

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