I WAS pleased to see that a fire crew turned up on a hoaxer's doorstep.

I hope the police prosecute the culprit and claim the costs from him for the misuse of an emergency service.

But it is not an ideal world. The culprit will probably be jobless, and the public purse will have to pick up his legal costs and he will do community service.

The culprit should be named and shamed in the newspaper to warn against other mis-users. Yet again, another waste of precious time for our emergency services.

Let's hope, next time, the hoaxer isn't crying wolf!

(name and address supplied)