POLICE pledged to investigate claims last night that it took officers more than two hours to respond to a 999 call from a a concerned resident.

Geoffrey Collins contacted the emergency services after seeing three men climb over the fence into the garden of his disabled neighbour Sylvia Bennison, of Carr Lane, Staxton, near Scarborough.

He said: "I was speaking to the operator when they broke in through the window and I was told the police were on their way."

Twenty-five minutes later Mr Collins, 51, watched in astonishment as the burglars emerged from the house in broad daylight laughing and eating crisps they had found inside.

They had stolen £300 of the victim's savings and a jar of 50p coins she used to buy tea during her frequent hospital visits.

Police officers arrived at the property at 5.20pm - two-and-a-half hours after Mr Collins made the emergency call.

Superintendent David Short, of North Yorkshire Police, has apologised for the delay, which he blamed on the force control room's failure to prioritise the report.

He said: "The senior officer in charge of force communications, Superintendent Iain Spittall, has been asked to look into what happened."

The force is already in talks to pilot a service for non-emergency calls to help reduce pressure on the 999 service.

Callers ringing the new 888 number for incidents such as burglaries and routine crimes would be put through to their local police station straight away.

Miss Bennison, who suffers from arthritis and learning disabilities, had been out at a day care centre when the burglary took place, but returned to the house before the police arrived.

The 57-year-old, who is living in fear of the thieves coming back to her home, said the long response time was disgraceful.

She said: "I had been home an hour before officers arrived.

"They just said sorry. Well sorry is not good enough."