PEOPLE who make hoax fire calls are to be exposed on a new website in Cheshire.

Fire chiefs in the county have taken the unusual step in a bid to cut the number of nuisance calls, which account for as many as 7pc in some areas.

The website, the first of its type to be launched by the emergency services, will go live on Tuesday.

It will highlight the voices of hoax callers and urge people who may recognise them to contact the police.

During the past year, 4pc of the 15,000 999 calls made to Cheshire Fire Service were malicious.

The most severely affected area is Runcorn, where 7pc of the calls received are hoax. This is followed by Warrington at 6pc and Ellesmere Port (5pc).

Evan Morris, spokesman for Cheshire Fire Service, said: "Surprisingly, it is not just children who are responsible. A large number of adults also make nuisance calls.

"We are now using the latest technology in an effort to combat the problem of malicious calls and stop serial hoaxers which are an issue in certain areas of the county.

"We believe we are the first emergency service to take such steps."

People visiting the website will have the opportunity to click on to a "malicious callers" heading and individual towns and villages before hearing the voices of hoax callers recorded by fire service personnel.

Mr Morris said: "The website will be up-dated on a regular basis and as we receive new hoax calls these will be added.

"The site will urge people who recognise the voices to call the police."

Merseyside Fire Service confirmed last night it would be looking closely at Cheshire's initiative.

A spokesman said: "Anything which reduces hoax callers has got to be looked at. We are certainly interested in what Cheshire is doing."

Cheshire's new website will also give people the opportunity to have a three-dimensional tour of a fire engine, listen to interviews with firefighters about incidents which they have attended and witness the consequences of fires.

Cheshire Fire Service has previously adopted a range of initiatives to tackle hoaxers, including advertising on the back of fire engines and on the radio.

* The address for the service ' s new website is: www.cheshirefire.co.uk

People who visit the site and recognise a voice are urged to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

jane.woodhead@dailypost.co.uk