A WOMAN dialled 999 to report the theft of a snowman outside her house, it emerged today.

Police said she thought it needed their involvement because she had used pound coins for the eyes and teaspoons for the arms.

The woman, from Chatham in Kent, has since been given advice by officers about the right situation in which to call 999.

Kent Police today issued a transcript of the “completely irresponsible’’ call.

In the call, the woman tells the operator: “There’s been a theft from outside my house.

“I haven’t been out to check on him for five hours but I went outside for a fag and he’s gone.”

The operator asks “Who’s gone?” and the woman replies: “My snowman. I thought that with it being icy and there not being anybody about, he’d be safe.’’

The incredulous operator asks her: “Do you mean an ornament?”

The woman replies: “No, a snowman made of snow, I made him myself.

“It ain’t a nice road but you don’t expect anybody to nick your snowman.’’

The operator then tells her that it is an emergency line and she should not be ringing it to report the theft of a snowman.

Chief Inspector Simon Black, from Kent Police’s force contact and control centre, said: “This call could have cost someone’s life if there was a genuine emergency and they couldn’t get through.

“It was completely irresponsible.”