YOUNGSTERS in a hoax hotspot are being targeted in a bid to slash the number of malicious calls to emergency services.

Pupils at Spring Hill Primary School, in Exchange Street, Accrington, are to be visited on Tuesday by specialist staff from British Telecom's nuisance calls bureau based in Jubilee Street, Blackburn.

Jacqui Stewart and Allison Billington of the bureau want to educate the children in how to make 999 calls properly and warn them of the dangers of making hoax calls which cost the emergency services thousands of pounds every year and put lives at risk.

The lessons come after firefighters recognised that Accrington was receiving the most hoax callers in the whole county. Two telephone boxes in Garbett Street -- round the corner from the school -- were highlighted as the place where the majority of the calls were made.

BT bureau manager Janet Farrell said they were not targeting Spring Hill in particular but wanted to educate youngsters and their parents in that area.

She said: " We have targeted that area because it is a known hot spot and there have been problems there but we are not picking out the school individually. We have to start somewhere in the area."

Last year Accrington firefighters received 62 hoax calls costing them an estimated £40,000. This year that figure looks set to double.

A Lancashire Fire and Rescue spokesman said: "As a matter of routine we send out two engines to a domestic call which costs in the region of £400 plus additional costs. The budget at Accrington, as anywhere, is not unlimited. Last year a part-time crew and engine had to be shelved from Accrington because of lack of funds."

He said around 1,600 hoax calls a year were received in the county and Accrington is now receiving more than anywhere else.

Spring Hill headteacher Miss Stephanie Grimshaw said the visit backs up the school's ongoing programme to educate youngsters about hoax calls.

She said: "We have visits from firefighters and we constantly tell our pupils about the dangers of hoax calls and the problems that they can cause. The visit from BT reinforces that message and will hopefully make them think twice."

Janet Farrell said BT was working with local fire brigades to help teach children how to make 999 calls correctly helping them to save lives.

She added: "If children know what to do in an emergency situation in the street or at home their action can help to save lives.

"We also want youngsters to understand the consequences of hoax 999 calls and how they not only cost the emergency services thousands of pounds each year but could cost lives." Divisional officer Neville Earnshaw, from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service stressed the importance of youngsters understanding the consequences of hoax calls.

He said: "The message is simple, hoax calls can cost lives. A fire engine cannot be in two places at once and if our crews are in the wrong place because of a hoax call it puts people involved in real life and death situations at unnecessary extra risk."

Hoax calling is a criminal offence and if prosecuted offenders could face a fine of up to £5,000 and or six months in prison.