Moon mistaken for UFO
By Urmee Khan for
London Telegraph
July 5, 3008
Police in Wales were called to investigate a mysterious flying saucer, only to discover it was the moon.
Unidentified flying object
The moon was mistaken for a "bright, stationary" UFO which had been loitering for at least half an hour, by a confused local in South Wales who made a 999 call to the police.
Today officers released a transcript in order to highlight the time wasted by unnecessary 999 calls.
The bizarre conversation ran as follows:
Control: "South Wales Police, what's your emergency?"
Caller: "It's not really. I just need to inform you that across the mountain there's a bright stationary object."
Control: "Right."
Caller: "If you've got a couple of minutes perhaps you could find out what it is? It's been there at least half an hour and it's still there."
Control: "It's been there for half an hour. Right. Is it actually on the mountain or in the sky?"
Caller: "It's in the air."
Control: "I will send someone up there now to check it out."
Caller: "OK."
The moon
After the police patrol car arrives, the script reveals the exchange between the control room and the police officer sent to the scene.
Control: "Alpha Zulu 20, this object in the sky, did anyone have a look at it?"
Officer: "Yes, it's the moon. Over."
A police spokeswoman said: "This was a recent example of an inappropriate 999 call to South Wales Police.
"Yes, we can all see the comical side but calling 999 with an unnecessary non-emergency call could block a genuine call for vital seconds and put lives at risk."
Other bizarre calls cited by the police force included someone asking for help voting for Rhydian on The X-Factor and another requesting a pound coin for their supermarket trolley.
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