Thread:Comments:'Completely irresponsible' woman called emergency services to report theft of snowman/999?/reply (8)

111 was not used because if you were in the grip of an emergency you may be too panicked to dial 111 accurately on a rotary dial. 999 was the most easily entered as all you had to do was dial to the end of the rotary.

If your telegraph line theory stand any ground then surely they'd've used 222 or 333?