Hertfordshire Constabulary is urging residents to use online reporting tools for non-emergency incidents after receiving a record number of calls during last week's heatwave.

The force said demand surged during the hot weather and bank holiday weekend, with Tuesday 26 May – the hottest day of the year so far – seeing almost 1,900 calls received over a 24-hour period.

Of those calls, 945 were non-emergency enquiries, many of which could have been reported online.

Public Contact Superintendent Matt Barton said: "With this week's heatwave and long bank holiday weekend we have seen a significant increase in calls from members of the public.

"On Tuesday, which was the hottest day of the year so far, we received a record number of calls – almost 1,900 over 24 hours. Of these, 945 were non-emergencies, many of which could have been reported online."

He stressed that anyone facing an emergency or witnessing a crime in progress should always call 999.

"We are of course here to help and if there is an immediate emergency please do not hesitate to dial 999 so that we can get help to you quickly," he said.

"However, if it's not an emergency situation, you can help us get to those in urgent need quicker by considering our online reporting options."

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The force said online reports are handled by control room staff in the same way as telephone reports and can often be a quicker and more convenient option during busy periods.

Residents can report non-emergency incidents by completing the online reporting form through Hertfordshire Police Report a Crime or by speaking to a control room operator through the force's web chat service via Hertfordshire Police Contact Page.

Police added that people who are unable to use online services should continue to call 101 for non-emergency matters.

Anyone facing a genuine emergency or witnessing a crime in action should always dial 999.