An 11-year-old girl ‘kicked off’ when her parents wouldn’t let her watch Love Island, according to police who made an emergency call to their home.
Officers raced to the house in Barlestone with lights flashing and sirens blaring when the youngster’s parents dialled 999 during the row over the hit ITV2 show.
The caller claimed to have been threatened with violence and a spokesman for Leicestershire Police confirmed a ‘public disorder incident’ was reported.
Eyal and Megan snuggle up on the show, whose fourth season has captivated viewers across the country
Rosie Williams and Megan Barton Hanson are pictured on the show, whose popularity is such that police reported an 11-year-old girl ‘kicked off’ (below) leading her parents to call officers and claim they’d been threatened with violence
Market Bosworth Police said on Facebook: ‘An 11-year-old girl kicked off because she wasn’t allowed to watch Love Island.
‘Due to the information passed by the caller, this was risk assessed and graded as a “Grade One” – which means they attended as an emergency on blues and twos. True story.’
The show’s popularity is such that St Hilda’s college at the University of Oxford has elected a Love Island rep, who the university’s paper Cherwell reports will be responsible for dishing out snacks during screenings.
But social media users slammed the ‘rubbish’ TV show along with the girl’s parents following the Coalville incident.
Hanna Williams wrote: ‘Hope all involved got a good talking to for wasting time – as well as even contemplating watching Love Island.’
Michael Feliciant said: ‘So what has happened to parenting? It’s bad enough to argue with your children about TV programmes but to call the police? This is the rubbish on TV that has got control of some of the public. Very sad!’
The show has also proved popular at the University of Oxford, where one college has elected a Love Island rep
Lisa Ellis posted: ‘Wow, think some parenting classes might be needed. Oh and a bill for wasting police time. Should get the girl to do some voluntary work on a weekend to make up for it.’
And Julie O’Hara commented: ‘Parents need a bill for that. Imagine their shock, “Thank you for you call – in order to dispatch the requested vehicle we will require your debit card details and the sum of pounds, immediately transfered to 999 account”. Yeah right!’
But others defended the call, with Ruth Randle writing: ‘Nobody knows the true details of how badly the child kicked off and how scared the parents were and if there were any underlying issues before everyone starts to judge.’
Megan Barton Hanson is pictured in the show’s diary room as the hit ITV programme hit its much-anticipated fourth series
Some criticised the force for posting details of the incident. But the Market Bosworth account responded by saying: ‘It gives an insight into what we deal with everyday.
‘People often think it’s glamorous and exciting – like Police Interceptors. It’s important that the public know what we actually deal with.
‘Remember – if what we post doesn’t float your boat, you can unfollow us.’
The account added the family ‘received support, safeguarding referrals, and a holistic review of the incident.’
Nobody was injured during the incident and no arrests were made.
The incident also came after it was revealed a Leicester shopkeeper who called 999 after she was threatened with a knife was told to ring back on the non-emergency 101 number.
Referring to that incident, Wendie Love wrote: ‘It would seem that the priority is substituting for inadequate parents of 11-year-olds instead of responding to reports of knife crime and attempting to catch a perpetrator, who may have still been in the area. Doesn’t look good does it?’
A spokeswoman for Leicestershire Police said: ‘An emergency call was received just after 9.10pm on Wednesday, reporting a public disorder incident at an address in Coalville.
‘Due to concerns raised in the emergency call, including mentions of violence and the caller hanging up, a grade one response was authorised.
‘Officers attended the incident and inquiries were carried out. No arrests were made and no significant injuries were reported.’
Love Island, now in its fourth series, has proved hugely popular with viewers – with five million tuning in to last week’s opening episode, a record for ITV2.
Members of the England football team have even requested the channel in their hotel rooms during the World Cup in Russia so they can watch the show.
Oxford students’ Love Island rep
Students accused Adam (pictured) of being a ‘big oily snake’
St Hilda’s Junior Common Room heard a motion proposing a Love Island Fund on Sunday.
Stating that they need ‘more popcorn to lob at the screen when Adam is being a big oily snake’ and referring to the show as ‘the pinnacle of culture’, the students secured a fund for buying communal snacks for viewers.
The original motion suggested dedicating £500 to the fund, but an amendment reduced it to £100.
The motion passed with an overwhelming majority, Cherwell reports.
After a friendly amendment was made to reduce the funds given to the rep from approximately £500 to £100, the motion passed with an overwhelming majority.
Poppy Price, who proposed the motion, told the paper that the college’s ‘Love Island fans community at Hilda’s has expanded rapidly’ in a matter of days.
During hustings, the yet-to-be elected Love Island Rep Antara Jaidev said: ‘Love Island is the most important thing in my life right now.’