Police are asking the public to think before they dial after being inundated with calls around the government’s rules asking people to stay home.

Calls have included whether visiting relatives is allowed, and whether people are allowed out to feed their animals.

People have also called to complain about their employers and raise concerns about protective measures during the Corona crisis.

Preston Police are urging householders to only call 999 or 101 in an emergency or if a specific police response is required, and to seek advice on the new rules from the government directly.

Read more: Latest Coronavirus updates from Blog Preston

A police spokesperson said: “We are getting a high volume of calls around the governments rules requiring people to stay at home. The best source of advice for everyone on what is and isn’t allowed, is from the government directly and this information is available here: http://orlo.uk/Yt5OQ.

“Please help us to prioritise and keep people safe by not calling us unless it’s an emergency or you need a specific police response.

“This includes not calling us with questions about whether you can/can’t visit relatives or feed livestock and reporting issues with your employer or their protective measures in place. If you have questions about businesses continuing to operate, trading standards and your local authority are the lead agency on this.”

You can report non-emergency incidents online here: http://orlo.uk/vFvaT