ACCRINGTON ambulance chiefs today blasted hoax callers after receiving two malicious 999 calls.

The calls were made from the Woodnook area of Accrington near to where a team of paramedics and their emergency vehicle were ambushed last month.

A spokesman for Accrington ambulance said: "Yesterday, we had two malicious calls from the Woodnook area of Accrington, saying that someone had collapsed, so we had to respond quickly.

"Luckily, we were in the station but, otherwise, we would have had to contact a vehicle from Blackburn, which would have depleted the Blackburn station. These calls are potentially putting lives at risk.

"Our control has rung British Telecom, who said at least six malicious calls had been made from this mobile phone.

"We are in the middle of the festive season and could really do without this.

"The flu virus has got a grip and it has been non-stop for us, particularly dealing with elderly people.

"The calls came from around the same area where an ambulance recently had its window broke."

Last month the Lancashire Evening Telegraph told of how two paramedics were attacked as they answered an emergency call from a house in Nuttall Street Mews, Woodnook.

Leading paramedic Chris Rowan and paramedic Eilean Schofield, were forced to flee in their damaged vehicle after a man smashed the back window of their ambulance with a brick.

The emergency call turned out to be a hoax. Police are investigating the latest incident.

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