Phone box hoaxer targets 999 line

Police have been trying to find a hoax caller who has made about 60 silent 999 calls from phone boxes in Cheshire.

The calls have all been made in the last month, and on two occasions the caller was abusive to operators.

Cheshire Police said that the phone calls could be stopping genuine emergencies getting attention.

The calls have been made at different times of the day and night from about 20 different phone boxes in Widnes. One phone box has been targeted 22 times.

Sgt Fiona Murphy, of Cheshire Police, said: "It could be one person or a number of people responsible for making these calls.

"But whoever it is they need to realise the impact of what they are doing.

"If someone is making a silent call to the emergency services - the longer they stay on the line the longer they could be stopping someone else from getting through and from getting the vital help they need.

"Hoax calls, which could potentially put lives in danger, will be thoroughly investigated and offenders will be prosecuted."

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