HIDDEN "spy" cameras will be installed in payphone boxes to help Whitefield-based Greater Manchester Ambulance Service trap bogus 999 callers.

The action will be part of a package aimed at hitting back at the hoaxers who each year cost GMAS a staggering £200,000 in wasted resources.

GMAS chiefs have launched a major initiative with BT, Greater Manchester Police and Greater Manchester Fire Service to highlight the fact hoaxers are playing with lives.

Operation "Cry Wolf" is aimed at educating the public about the costly and potentially tragic consequences of hoax 999 calls.

Mr Paul Kenny, community liaison manager with GMAS, is leading a team touring schools in areas where problems are most prevalent to convince youngsters they are actually putting lives in jeopardy.

"We know many of the hoax calls are made by nine to 14-year-olds misusing local payphones," said Mr Kenny.

"A number of key areas have been identified and we will be visiting schools in these locations to explain to the children just what the results of their behaviour can be. It is certainly not a joke as far as we are concerned." But this is not a softly-softly approach. The visit to the schools will be backed up by action from GMAS and BT. Making hoax calls is already an offence with fines up to £5,000 or up to six months in jail for those convicted.

GMAS stress it has been difficult to catch offenders in public payphones, but BT is working with ambulance chiefs to tackle the problems in "hot spot" areas.

Once BT, through its nuisance call bureau, has identified particular payphones as being the cause of problems, hidden cameras will be mounted in the boxes to capture the offenders on film.

And the pictures from the surveillance equipment will be used as evidence in a court case.

When calls are made from residential phones, information will be collated by BT and action taken with GMAS which should lead to a conviction.

Some hoax callers can call repeatedly - sometimes as many as six or seven times a day.

Mr Ian Hall, manager of BT's nuisance call bureau, said: "Hoax calls to any of the emergency services cost time, money and even lives. BT will be doing all it can to help eradicate the problem."

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