The abuse of the 112 emergency services telephone number rose last year despite a clampdown on those making false calls, the Nederlands Dagblad reports.

There were 3.4 million false alarm calls last year, 100,000 more than in 2006.
The authorities will launch a new advertising campaign in the autumn targeting children and old people.
‘Young children think it’s a joke to call the number without being aware of how serious a matter it is. Old people often call the number by mistake because they are confused or not aware of the purpose of the line,’ a government spokesman told the newspaper.