The sick stunt has been blasted by fire chiefs who claim the individual put real lives at risk by wasting the time of so many from the rescue services.

Read full article: Click Lancashire.

West Midlands Ambulance Service has logged almost 10,000 hoax calls in Staffordshire between 2006 and 2008, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show.

The region’s fire service has dealt with a total of 16,376 hoax and abandoned calls during the same period.

Today, emergency service chiefs called on the hoaxers to think twice before they waste time and resources and also called for anyone with information about people who make fake calls to contact the police.

West Midlands Ambulance Service revealed it has received 9,728 hoax calls in Staffordshire over the past three years – 3,945 in 2006, 2,937 in 2007 and 2,846 in 2008. It reported another 2,220 across Hereford and Worcester and 1,674 in Coventry and Warwickshire during the three years.

Read full article: Express & Star

Three times crews were sent to the Tesco supermarket in the town centre after 999 calls said people had collapsed and on two other occasions, crews went to the seated area outside the old Littlewoods store, also in the town centre, after they received further 999 calls saying people had collapsed and needed emergency help.

The calls were eventually traced to the nearby public phone outside Costa Coffee.

“These hoax calls are diverting crews away from what could be real emergencies,” said Beds and Herts Ambulance Service spokesman Gary Sanderson.

“Crews are very angry when they suddenly realise their time has been wasted by a hoax call.

Read full article: The Comet.