The Kent Police control room in Maidstone

A woman dialled 999 - because she had forgotten her mobile phone passcode.

The bizarre "emergency" call was made by a Maidstone woman on Friday.

She told the operator she had entered the wrong passcode into her mobile, which had locked the phone.

The call came just a day before a string of 999 hoaxes were made by children.

Kent Police received nine calls from the same mobile phone number on Saturday.

The majority of the calls were abandoned, but a young child requested police assistance and hung up.

It is believed two boys aged six and 10, from the Shepherdswell area of Dover, were responsible for the hoax calls.

The pair were given a warning by police - that the 999 number should only be used when life is in danger or a crime is in progress.

Ch Insp Simon Black, from the Kent Police force control room, said: "This behaviour puts other members of the public at risk as it diverts attention away from those who are genuinely calling 999 when life is in danger or a crime is in progress.

"Kent Police records all of the calls that come into the Force Control Room and this can be used as evidence at court if required."

Kent Police receives an average of more than 700 calls a day to the 999 number.