LARGE parts of Bolton were left without full fire service cover on Monday night after pranksters made a series of malicious phone calls.

Firemen from Bolton Central fire station were called out on three occasions by people calling from phone boxes or a mobile phone who claimed there was a fire.

But when the crews arrived there was nothing to be seen.

Station Officer Ian Duckworth dismissed the "idiotic behaviour" which he said was putting lives at risk.

The fire chief added: "It makes us very angry. They are robbing the people of Bolton of their emergency services."

The fire service received received a mobile phone call at 7.30pm from a caller claiming a car was on fire off Cannon Street, Deane, but when the crew got there there was no fire.

"At that time there was only one fire engine looking after the whole of Bolton," said Mr Duckworth.

Other calls earlier in the evening came from public phone boxes in St Helen's Road near Morris Green Lane and the junction of Bradshawgate and Great Moor Street.

The fire service has taped all the calls and kept records of the numbers used. If the mobile phone is used a second time to make a malicious call then the phone company will disconnect its service.

Hoax calls are a problem for all stations. Over the last seven days Crompton Way station has received nine afternoon calls from the same phone box on Stephen Street at the junction of Wagon Road.

"When we catch them we do prosecute," warned Mr Duckworth.

Fire crews are obliged to attend each report of a fire in case it is a genuine call.

Over the last 12 months alone fire crews from the Bolton Central, Crompton Way and Farnworth fire stations have received 519 hoax calls.