British punk band, formed in 1976 and still active today. Best known for their near-hit single "Homicide", which they can be seen playing live in the concert film Urgh! A Music War. The current lineup is Nick Cash (guitar, vocals), Guy Days (guitar, vocals), Pablo Labritain (drums), and Arturo Bassick (bass, vocals).

The emergency services number in the UK and Ireland

First established on 1st July 1937, as the first nationwide emergency telephone number, anywhere in the world.

The first 999 call was made by Mr. Stanley Beard of Hampstead, when he awoke to a noise outside his house at 4.20 am and, after looking, saw a man's foot. His wife called the new emergency number and asked for the police. Patrol cars went sent and four minutes later a man was detained near Primrose Hill. Later in the day, Thomas Duffy (24), was charged at Marylebone court with attempting to break in to the house, and was remanded in custody.

In the UK, emergency calls to 999 are always toll free. Even telephones which have been disabled in some way, often accept 999 calls. 999 applies to all telephones, even mobile phones.

The number 999 was chosen because it is easy for a blind person to dial on a rotary telephone dial, but it is unlikely that a child would accidentally dial it (unlike 111). Of course, on a modern telephone with buttons, 999 is equally likely for young random hands to dial as 111.

In Finland, 999 is one of many dialing prefixes used to select a long distance operator of a fixed line telephone.
See Finnish operators.

999 (the Great British emergency number) is too long for this reason... i have one of those phones that clicks once for 1, and 3 times for 3, therefore the number 111 would click 3 times.
This is the reason why 999 is too long. If i were ever in any danger and i needed to dial 999. I would have to wait a total of 27 clicks before i get through .. by which time i could have burnt to death or be beaten about the head with a large stick... arg...