Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service have hit out after hoax calls were made to the county control room.

Following two 999 calls on Tuesday evening, two crews and a whole time officer were mobilised in St Austell. The second call concerned Redruth, but fire control staff realised it was a hoax.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue said: ‘A hoax call to any emergency service could cost lives; tying up valuable emergency resources and preventing them from attending a real incident. If there had been a genuine emergency, resources would have to be called in from another station further away. Putting lives at risk.

‘Making hoax calls is illegal. People can, and have been, heavily prosecuted for making hoax calls with a fine of up to £5,000 or six months in prison.’

Details of both Tuesday’s hoax calls have been passed on to Devon and Cornwall Police.