THREE schoolgirls have been spoken to by police after a mother discovered they had made a series of hoax calls to the emergency services.

The trio, all aged nine, made a number of calls to the fire service claiming a house was burning.

After an appeal was issued by Cheshire Fire to trace the hoax caller, the mother of one of the girls told officers at Arpley Street police station she thought her daughter was responsible.

Inspector Andy Ross, of Warrington central neighbourhood policing unit, said he hoped the girls had learnt their lesson.

He said: “There are serious repercussions for anyone who is caught making a hoax call – this can include having your mobile phone disconnected or even facing criminal charges and a prison sentence.

“Wasting the time of the emergency services is irresponsible and could cost lives.

“We would like to thank the mother who came forward after hearing the appeal on the radio – it can’t have been easy for her.”

The calls were all made from a mobile phone in the Orford area and claimed there had been a serious house fire on Long Lane.

The caller, claiming to be 19-years-old, described being opposite the house where a room was ‘burning up’ with the walls and roof on fire.

Anyone with information about hoax calls should call Cheshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.