WHILE most people in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley will be partying the night away on December 31 emergency services are on full alert.

The shadow of computer-induced disasters still hangs over the significant date 2000 as the clock ticks the minutes away and fire, police, ambulance and hospital services are ready to respond.

However emergency services in Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, Gwent and Herefordshire are expecting an extra-busy period even without unforseen problems with the 'Millennium Bug'.

Already the numbers of switchboard operators and telephone lines have been increased in readiness and steps have been taken to ensure services are not needlessly called upon.

In particular police are asking people to avoid dialling 999 for trivial matters. Such calls may delay response to genuine emergencies, they say.

Of more than 57,336 emergency calls last New Year approximately 54 per cent did not merit an immediate response from the police, reports Chief Inspector Chris Curran of Gloucestershire Police.

British Telecom is expecting up to five times the number of emergency calls usually made on a normal Saturday night.

Tony Morgan, Gloucestershire Ambulance director of operations, said: "The millennium holiday period may be a very busy time for the emergency services. We want to ensure that we are able to respond to emergencies as quickly and as effectively as we can. We are asking the public to help us by simply thinking before they dial 999."

Gas, water and electricity services have all taken steps to avoid Millennium Bug problems.

Self-help is the main message from all services: having adequate supplies of medicines you need, including contraceptive pills, are a priority.

Doctors and dentists closed over the holiday should have a recorded message on their regular number giving details of a duty doctor if needed in emergency.

The national NSPCC Helpline is open (0800 800 500) as is Childline (0800 1111) and Refuge (0990 995443) for women who are violence victims. The RSPCA 24-hour emergency line is 0990 555999.