All mobile phone network providers have agreed to disable a caller's SIM card within 24 hours, if the emergency services request them to do so.

The national initiative involves the police, fire and ambulance services.

Until now, mobile phone owners could still use their handsets even if the emergency services knew a hoax call had been made on it.

Young offenders

Staffordshire Fire Service said each hoax call costs taxpayers nearly �500 and that delays caused by crews responding to the calls could result in lives being lost.

A spokesman said: "Staffordshire Fire Service has been the main advocate lobbying for this initiative and we are glad it is now here to stay.

"We have been asking the network providers to do this for several years as reducing the number of hoax calls is a big priority.

"People can be cut off within 24 hours, or even within a matter of minutes, in some cases.

"We believe that young people are the main offenders of hoax calls and see an increase during school holidays."

Approximately 170 hoax calls were received by Staffordshire Fire Service between July and December last year, at an estimated cost of �85,000.