HOAX callers who have turned out the fire brigade to the same bogus incident three times are putting lives at risk, warns a fire chief.

Burnley Sub Officer Peter Frazer said today: "If we catch someone we will be able to check if it is the same person who made the calls because we record all 999 conversations and our experts can identify voices.

"Other people have been traced using this means and we have prosecuted and the penalty can be severe."

Mr Frazer said his crew had been called three times in as many shifts to the same part of Daneshouse. The calls all came from a phone box in Grey Street.

Each time two pumps respond it costs the fire service about £400 but Mr Frazer said the real cost could the the potential threat to life if a genuine call out was received while the appliances were attending the hoax.

He said: "The nearest cover would be from Nelson and it would take several more minutes for them to reach the fire. Those vital minutes could put someone's life at risk."

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