Public urged to report 999 hoaxes

The maximum penalty for hoax call offences is six months in prison

People are being urged to listen to recordings of hoax 999 calls on the Avon and Somerset police website to report any voice they recognise.

The decision was taken after more than 400 hoax 999 calls a month were made to the force during 2007.

One reported a squirrel going hungry because there were no hazlenut trees for it to feed on.

A live police webchat with Ch Supt Dave Hayler at 1915 BST is being held to discuss the situation.

Chief Supt Dave Hayler said: "What could seem a harmless joke could result in a serious criminal conviction or endanger someone's life."

GEOGRAPHY OF HOAX CALLS 45% Bristol area 18% Somerset West 10% North Somerset 10% Somerset East 9% South Gloucestershire 6 % Bath and North East Somerset 2 % locations unknown

A breakdown of the false 999 calls shows out of the 415 hoax calls a month, 16% were masde from public telephone boxes.

"Wasting the time of the emergency services could cost lives because the emergency services might not be available to respond to real emergencies if they are attending hoax calls," said Ch Supt Hayler.

The maximum penalty for hoax call offences is imprisonment for up to six months and a fine of £5,000.

All calls are recorded and can be used as evidence. Police have the power to disconnect mobiles from which hoax calls are made.