Ambulance bosses have urged Swindon residents to think carefully before dialling 999 this Bank Holiday.

It is one of the busiest times of the year for South Western Ambulance Service, who are expecting to deal with more than 10,000 calls over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Already this summer, the service’s 999 call centre have dealt with 35,434 emergency incidents across Wiltshire.

They have asked people to consider alternatives to calling 999 over the weekend for medical issues that are not time critical or life-threatening. Alternatives to calling the emergency services include visiting the minor injuries unit, GP out-of-hours services or calling the NHS’s 111 advice line.

The ambulance service said examples of when to call 999 include: when someone is choking, experiencing chest pain a stroke or serious blood loss, or has lost consciousness.

Ken Wenman, the South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust’s chief executive, said: “The Trust has a finite number of resources and we have to prioritise those resources for time critical, life threatening emergencies.

“We know from past experience that the summer season and the influx of visitors can put extra strain on our services, as many people who are visiting the region, and would normally visit their GP, will often dial 999 or visit the nearest emergency department instead.

“We would advise people who need help to think about the alternatives instead of visiting an emergency department or dialling 999. This will help us prioritise our resources and staff to those in genuine need.”