Police received the emergency call from a mobile phone at 2am and could hear the muffled sounds of what sounded like a distressed woman.

When the woman didn't answer, police traced the call to a house in Stanley, County Durham, and officers rushed to the address, reports the Northern Echo.

Don't call 999 during sex.

A Durham Police spokesman said: "The couple, who answered the knock on their door at just after 2am, were rather surprised and not a little flustered to find uniformed police on the doorstep.

"Their disheveled appearance was soon explained, it seems the physical activity taking place had been of the amorous rather than violent kind.

"In the throes of passion they had managed to roll on top of the telephone, which was resting on the floor, and accidentally depressed the number nine button."

Kilde: Ananova