A FIRE chief is calling for a problem phone box to be ripped out to stop hoax callers.

The fire service have been bombarded with calls from a phone box in Blenheim Road, Breightmet.

The latest calls were made on Wednesday night, when a male, believed to be a teenager, rang the fire service twice to report false fires.

Firefighters turned out to the malicious calls at 7.30 and 9pm.

Bolton North crew commander Ian Read said: "We have had so many hoax calls from this phone box and it is getting ridiculous.

"I think the box needs to be ripped out to stop these hoax callers."

The first caller claimed there was a fire on Leacroft Avenue, Breightmet, telling the operator: "All I can see is loads of flames."

He then changed his mind and claimed the fire was on Long Lane in Breightmet and that: "All you can see is flames coming from downstairs."

When asked if he was telling the truth and warned the police would get involved if he was not, he was adamant there was a fire. The second time the person called, officers recognised his voice. They challenged the caller but he insisted there was a fire.

This time, he said the blaze was in Darcy Lever and that he could see flames in the window, even though the fire service knew the call was being made from the Breightmet area.

Offenders can be fined £80 on the spot or be sent to court, which could result in either a £5,000 fine or six months in prison.

To prevent hoax calls from mobile phones, the fire service operates a "two strikes" policy, requesting that mobile phones are blocked when more than one hoax call is made by the owner.

But the phone box on Blenheim Road is used frequently by hoaxers because it is harder to trace the callers.

Mr Read added: "We wasted over an hour attending these calls, when people could have been in real danger.

"We are clamping down on hoax callers because this needs to stop. It is not a joke.

A spokesman for BT said: "We work very closely with the emergency services. Nearly half of all 999 calls made from phone boxes are hoaxes or inappropriate.

"We are not aware of this particular phone box problem but would be happy to look into to see what can be done."

If you think you can recognise the voice of the caller, ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

AS part of our Shop a Hoaxer campaign, you can listen to the recordings of the calls.

Recording One
Recording Two

If you think you can recognise the voice of the caller, ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.