The ambulance service has revealed some of the time-wasting 999 calls it dealt with last Easter - including one from a person who couldn't sleep.

Cumbrian bosses are urging people to use the service responsibly as it prepared for a rise in demand over the bank holiday weekend.

They have given examples of calls from the 2018 Easter weekend that did not need an emergency response, wasting the time of staff.

They included someone struggling to sleep, one with back pain lasting a few days, a patient who had drank too much alcohol and someone whose filling had fallen out of a tooth.

The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), which covers Cumbria, is urging people to use its NHS 111 advice line - and new online service - for non-urgent medical conditions.

As well as an rise in emergency calls, NWAS is expecting a 31 per cent increase in calls to its NHS 111 service over the bank holiday weekend, when GP surgeries are closed.

reminding people that NHS 111 Online is the new way to access healthcare for patients who need urgent help and advice and unsure where to turn.

Jackie Bell, head of service for 111 at NWAS, said: “Easter is one of the busiest times of year for our NHS 111 service. We’ll be increasing our staffing levels by 45 per cent, but we’re urging people to make the most of NHS 111 Online, now available across the north west.”

NWAS is urging people to plan ahead, take precautions and drink sensibly.