AFTER repeatedly making calls to the non-emergency 101 number to complain about her disruptive neighbours, a bride-to-be from Cirencester has welcomed a police chief's vow to quicken response times.

Tilly Chester, 22, has dialled 101 around three times a month for the past year due to problems with her neighbours.

She moved into her Cirencester apartment with her fiancé last year but has often been kept awake late at night by loud music, shouting and door slamming.

New figures show that, on average, Gloucestershire police deal with around 1,000 calls every day.

Of those, about 200 are 999 calls while 750 are for the 101 non-emergency line.

Although the police and crime commissioner for Gloucestershire, Martin Surl, said the constabulary’s response to 999 calls is very good, complaints were mounting over frequent long delays in answering the 101 number. The time limit laid down nationally for answering 999 calls is 10 seconds and for 101 calls it is 40 seconds.

At the moment, nearly three quarters of people who call 101 in Gloucestershire are answered within 40 seconds.

Mr Surl said he will work with Gloucestershire constabulary to bring down the waiting time for 101 calls.

Miss Chester said she has sometimes had to wait a few minutes to have her 101 calls answered, and she welcomed Mr Surl's vow to improve response times.

“Occasionally it has taken a few minutes tops for them to answer the 101 number but this is usually peak times, Friday and Saturday nights,” she said.

“But I wouldn’t expect it to be as quick as the 999 number.”

“I think it is important that anything can be dealt with quickly, and I know that they are always keen to help at the other end.”

She added: “I don’t think this should be prioritised over any work done to the 999 service however, as those calls are potentially critical.”

Commenting on only three quarters of 101 calls being answered within the 40 second limit, Mr Surl said: “That is still a long time and I think it should be the exception rather than the norm.

"The challenge for the police is to improve the 101 service whilst maintaining the standard they have achieved with regard to 999 calls.”

Gloucestershire police's Chief Constable, Suzette Davenport, said she is constantly striving for better results and is also urging people to also use the non-emergency email address, which Miss Chester said has helped her numerous times.

Late at night, she can access the email, 101@gloucestershire.police.uk, directly though her mobile phone or tablet.

“It’s really helpful. When you send an email you get an auto-response to say that it has been received and is being processed,” she said.

“And each time I’ve done this I’ve had a prompt email back from an agent, advising what action is to be taken."

Miss Chester also praised the police for coming to her home so quickly when she has reported more serious issues, saying: “The few times I have called for possibly more serious issues, I was amazed by how quickly officers made it out to us."

She also praised the 101 service, saying: "It is a great middle way, without having to dial 999."