AMBULANCE bosses are urging people to be sensible during this week's warm weather to help keep soaring emergency calls down.

The service received around 200 more calls than normal on Saturday as England crashed out of the World Cup to Portugal with booze and sunshine largely to blame.

"Drinking too much alcohol without enough food or water combined with the hot weather is unwise and dangerous," warned Mersey Regional Ambulance's Ray Lunt.

"The results can needlessly place a significant amount of stress on vital life saving services."

The MRAS also urged people not to swim in unfamiliar rivers, lakes and canals and to help reduce time-wasting duplicate calls by checking with other witnesses first before dialling 999.