He said his girlfriend told him to pick it up in a doggy bag to ensure he did not touch the ear, which he took it back to his flat before calling the non-emergency police number.

BBC: Ben Jackson-Smith with his girlfriend and Kas

Hundreds of thousands of phone calls to the new police non-emergency 101 number are going unanswered, figures from forces in England and Wales suggest.

BBC: Non-urgent police calls 'go unanswered'

The operator tried to give the woman an emergency number for the power company but she would not believe police did not deal with electricity.

BBC: Toilet roll 999 call made to Devon and Cornwall Police

The new 101 non-emergency number in Scotland is designed to simplify the way the public contact the police, while reducing pressure on the 999 system.

BBC: Tayside Police praise public for embracing new 101 number

The Police Service of Northern Ireland introduced a single non-emergency number in 2005 - 0845 600 8000.

BBC: Non-urgent police calls 'go unanswered'

Tayside Police have praised the public for embracing the new non-emergency phone number, designed to take pressure off the 999 service.

BBC: Tayside Police praise public for embracing new 101 number