THE South West Ambulance Service is urging people to only call 999 if it's an emergency.

The service created a compilation of calls that waste their call handlers precious time to show what not to do when calling for an ambulance.

One caller said: “I do apologise but I’ve got one of your ambulances parked and it’s blocking me in.

"I’ve got great appreciation for the ambulance service but I need to leave and I can’t get hold of anybody to find out where your ambulance people are.”

Another said: "I’ve got an appointment at the hospital but no transport has turned up.”

A foul-mouthed caller rang 999 just to swear at the call handler and did not care that she was using an emergency line.

An elderly caller rang asking to find the number of a pharmacy.

A concerned partner called because his girlfriend had broken her finger, though it was not bleeding.

The period over Christmas and New Year is always the busiest time of the year for the ambulance service.

The team of call-handlers and paramedics need to ensure that it spends as little time as possible responding to inappropriate, abusive or time-wasting calls.

WATCH: The inappropriate calls received by SWAST call handlers this year.