Sunburn and back pain among non-emergency 999 calls

The ambulance service says 22% of 999 calls were classed as non-serious or non-life threatening on Saturday and Sunday

Someone with sunburn, another with back pain from cutting grass and another unable to go to the toilet were among those who called 999 at the weekend.

The Welsh ambulance service said of the more than 4,400 calls it received on Saturday and Sunday, 22% were classed as non-serious or non-life threatening.

It said that was an increase of 4% on the previous weekend.

Last week the trust declared a "business continuity incident" after demand outstripped capacity to respond.

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The trust said other non-essential calls at the weekend included someone struggling to get down rough terrain, someone with a blister on their leg, another feeling overheated and someone stung by a weaver fish while fishing.

'Consider the alternatives'

The trust said they were "all things that can very often be treated by self-care, a pharmacist or the symptom checker tools at NHS 111 Wales".

One person called 999 because they were experiencing back pain after cutting grass

Director of operations Lee Brooks said: "We are asking people to consider the alternatives to calling 999 if their situation is not a life-threatening emergency - this will help us in assisting those most in need of our emergency ambulances."

He added: "If your call is not for a life-threatening emergency but you feel you require hospital treatment, then you may be asked to consider an alternative method of transportation such as any family, friends or neighbours who can drive you."

The trust also said breathing related problems accounted for 11.6% of call demand, adding one in five people in Wales being affected by a lung condition.