POLICE are investigating a series of hoax calls to the fire brigade in the Blackburn area after crews said they were being targeted by one person.

Firefighters yesterday submitted a file including taped evidence concerning five calls made during the last month.

If prosecuted, the person responsible could face a £2,000 fine.

Station Officer Aidan Fortune today said there had been an increase in hoax calls recently and warned of the dangers of making such calls.

He said: "There does seem to have been an increase in malicious calls recently.

"We now have an average of six calls each week although there does not seem to be a pattern or reason for the increase.

"However, there are five of the calls which we believe are connected and are possibly down to the same person.

"We have taped evidence of this which has been handed over to the police and our own investigations are continuing. While we are attending a call which is a hoax we and the public are put at risk as we are driving to the incident."

Station Officer Fortune said the nature of hoax calls has also changed from youngsters in telephone kiosks calling about a fire so they can watch the fire engine go past to people reporting that someone is trapped inside a house on fire.

He said: "With messages that someone is trapped we have to send two fire engines but there also has to be an ambulance and the police so it takes up all of the emergency services.

"It really is a dangerous situation which can put lives at risk."

Last year there were 164 hoax calls in the Blackburn area which had risen from 134 in 2002.

In Burnley the annual totals were 129 in 2002 and 117 last year; in Darwen they were 19 and 22 respectively and in Hyndburn 59 and 65. On average there are around 1700 hoax calls across Lancashire each year.

A spokesman for the Fire Service said hoax calls cost in the region of £200 each time when the cost of diesel, firefighters' wages and other costs were taken into onsideration.

He said: "It is a diabolical waste of time with potentially dire consequences."