HOAX calls are costing the two counties' fire service around £100,000 a year.

Hereford And Worcester Fire And Rescue Service received 484 hoax and malicious calls between March 2005 and March 2006.

Lives of residents in genuine need of help are being put at risk as crews rush out to attend false emergencies,

Worcester fire brigade spokesman Alec Mackie said: "Calls can either be hoax or malicious. There are times when we are called and someone says something and puts the phone down and our trained operators know it's a hoax and we do not respond.

"There are calls, however, including people reporting someone about to jump into the river, or a home or school on fire. Even if we have a suspicion it may not be genuine, we still have to attend and this costs money every time.

"Each call out costs around £400, depending on the time, distance and location of the emergency."

He said there was now a policy of robustly challenging callers to ensure a call is genuine.

He added that if there was enough evidence, the fire and rescue service would work with phone companies and West Mercia police to try and prosecute hoax callers.

Worcester Fire Station manager Gary Jay said education was being used to combat the problem of hoax calls.

He said: "It is an ongoing problem and we are targeting and educating the youths who do this.

"We want the stronger ones to stand up and tell those who may be tempted that there is nothing big or clever in making hoax calls."

Making a hoax call is illegal and penalties for those convicted are as high as a £5,000 fine or six months in prison.

Hereford And Worcester Fire And Rescue Service is backing Hoax Calls Awareness Week, a national campaign that runs from today until March 30.