A HOAXER who made a malicious call saying people were trapped in a burning house has been fined £80, fire crews have revealed.

Firefighters hit out at the hoaxer for tying up resources in Accrington just before 4am on August 17. And Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe said he was "disappointed" the offender had only been fined. Fire chiefs said the man was fined as it was his first offence.

The offender phoned emergency services from a phone box in Broadway, claiming people were trapped in a house fire in Royds Street.

Two fire engines, three police cars, and an ambulance attended the scene, less than a mile from where Caneze Riaz died along with her three daughters in Tremellen Street, in November. Fire crews spent 30 minutes making sure there was not a fire.

Peter Frazer, watch manager at Hyndburn Fire Station, said police were able to track down the hoaxer after the call was recorded by the fire service. He said that a CCTV camera on the phone box also picked up an image of the offender.

Mr Frazer said: "This shows people making hoax calls will not get away with it.

" It was a foolish thing to do and took up vital resources, putting lives at risk. The only other fire resource in Hyndburn available on that morning was the retained crew, and the next one to that was probably Rawtenstall. If there had been an incident, people's lives would have been put at risk."