WHAT do you do if your nail varnish chips despite having a three-day guarantee?

Well, don't do what one woman did - she called Avon and Somerset Police on 999.

Her story is among a number publicised by the force in a bid to discourage misuse of the emergency number.

Other examples were.

*a man who dialled 999 because he wasn't allowed on the rides on Weston pier.

*a woman who said she couldn't afford to buy bread because her benefits hadn't arrived.

*a man complaining that an ATB had swallowed his card.

A police spokesman on Twitter said people should only call 999 if offenders were nearby, life was at risk, an injury had been caused or threatened or a crime was in progress.

He added: "For everything else call the non-emergency number 101. Although these are real calls and may generate humour, they stop people getting the help they need."

Call handler Matthew, who is from Somerset, says he answers about 60 calls on an average shift and only a small proportion are "inappropriate or hoax".

He said: "They do pose a risk - seconds really do count as it is a very busy control room."