FIRE chiefs are finally overcoming hoax callers, who cost the emergency service hundreds of thousands of pounds every year.

Statistics out this month show a significant fall in the number of prank calls because of the success of challenging suspected prank callers, and text warnings sent to mobile phones used to make hoax calls.

The fire control manager for the Durham and Darlington brigade, Margaret Bancroft, said: "The success of our call-challenging is apparent in the statistics.

"By reducing the number of malicious calls, we are saving the fire service thousands of pounds and making sure that engines are available for genuine emergencies."

The call-challenging system started in June 2003.

Within the first year, there was a fall from 981 hoax calls made in 2002/2003 to 634 in 2003/2004.

Since June last year, only 322 hoax calls have been made to the 15 County Durham stations.

The call-challenge procedure enables operators to question callers if they feel the call may be a hoax.

A simple line of questioning will often force the caller, usually a youth, to hang up or reveal it is a prank.

Callers who use their mobile phone to make a malicious call will receive a text message warning them the phone will be disconnected if it happens again from the same number.

Last year, 76 text messages were sent to mobile phones, and 11 phones were disconnected.

Mrs Bancroft said: "It has always been our policy to investigate a report of a fire, so to challenge the callers was, at first, difficult.

"But the scheme is saving the engines from making unnecessary journeys."