FIREFIGHTERS have condemned hoaxers, accusing them of putting lives at risk.

Fire chiefs at Bolton North fire station said that valuable time which could have been used to fight real fires was wasted after two malicious calls were made to Bolton North fire station on Saturday night.

The first hoax incident was a car fire in Tonge Moor, followed by a child who said there was a fire at an address in Bolton.

Two fire crews raced to both incidents but were left angry after the calls proved to be malicious.

A spokesman for Bolton North fire station said: "If there had been a real incident in the area, a crew would from another station would have had to cover, which could have made the difference between life and death."