999 technical issue resolved after critical technical fault

25 June 2023, 08:40 | Updated: 25 June 2023, 10:22

Police say do not call 999
Police say do not call 999. Picture: Alamy

By Will Taylor

The 999 emergency phone system is back up and running after it was taken down by a technical fault.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Read the latest here

Developments earlier on Sunday:

Anyone with an emergency was told to contact 101 instead.

Police, firefighters and ambulance services both spread the word on Sunday morning.

"Please ONLY call in an emergency and please wait until later to make any 101 non-emergency calls," the Met said.

The force did not immediately elaborate.

"Following a critical technical issue that is affecting emergency services nationally, calls to 999 are not currently working," Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue said.

"Until resolved, you should contact 101 in any emergency. We will update you when it's resolved."

LBC contacted BT, which runs the 999 system.

Greater Manchester Police said: "BT have advised a number of forces that they are experiencing issues with their 999 lines that may affect connection to an emergency service."

101 is normally used as the non-emergency number.

Forces including the Met, Greater Manchester Police, West Midlands, West Yorkshire, South Wales and Avon and Somerset joined calls for people to use 101.

They were joined by police in Derbyshire, Cumbria, Bedfordshire, Essex, Northamptonshire, Gwent, and Devon and Cornwall.

Firefighters in at least the West Midlands, Devon and Somerset, North Wales and South Wales posted about the technical fault.

The London Ambulance Service, West Midlands Ambulance Service and North West Ambulance Service did the same.

Updates to follow

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

The woman was attacked by a shark

Family of woman whose hands were bitten off by shark reveal 'nightmare' after husband fought off '7ft' predator

Renée Zellweger

Mad about the Box Office: Latest Bridget Jones installment smashes rom com record

Exclusive
David Gauke wants to reduce the size of the female prison estate to make room for more male inmates. File image shows Pentonville prison

Send fewer women to jail to make room for male inmates, says former Justice Secretary

x

Starmer will ensure UK is 'leading country' as European nations step up in support of Ukraine

Gunner Beck

Women in Army subjected to 'disgusting' comments from male colleagues amid misogynistic culture, inquest hears

The aircraft can be seen upside down, with its wheels in the air, and the area thick with snow

Passenger jet 'flips over' during landing in Toronto leaving 15 injured - with three critical

Paula Miluska had started working from home in November 2022 due to her pregnancy illness

Woman awarded £93k payout after boss fires her for morning sickness by sending jazz hands emoji

c

Britain must take a ‘leading responsibility’ for peace in Ukraine, says PM as he calls for US ‘security guarantee’

Andrew Tate is facing allegations of trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor and money laundering

Trump team 'pressuring Romania to lift restrictions on Andrew Tate'

Skyrora, a rocket company with its headquarters in Edinburgh

Scottish company promises to blast rockets into space from 2026

A petition calling for major driving licence changes has received almost 100,000 signatures

Petition calls for ban on newly-qualified drivers carrying passengers under 25

The Princess of Wales has shares portraits drawn by her three children during the half-term break.

Princess of Wales shares heartwarming portraits drawn by George, Charlotte and Louis - but who drew who?

Double Olympic champion and Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas will retire from cycling this year.

Tour de France winner and double Olympic champion Geraint Thomas to retire from cycling at end of season

A 13-year-old boy has died and five others have been arrested following  a car crash on A672 Oldham Road.

Boy, 13, dies and five others arrested as Vauxhall Corsa spins off road in horror car crash

Lisa Smith, 43, was named by Kent Police

Pictured: Mother-of-two shot dead at pub on Valentine's Day - as police search river Thames for partner

Julia Wandelt who has claimed to be Madeleine McCann

Woman who claims to be Madeleine McCann releases bombshell new DNA test results