TEENAGE hoaxers have been blasted for wasting "vital resources" after they claimed a house was on fire.

Two fire engines went to Blackburn Road, Accrington after youngsters dialled 999 on Saturday afternoon.

Emergency services could not find a blaze which the pranksters claimed was a cooker fire.

Watch manager Liam Barker said: "Our staff are trained to filter out hoax and malicious calls but we have a duty to attend.

"We ended up driving to Blackburn Road where there was no sign of fire and the fact that the house didn't even exist was an indication that it was a malicious call.

"It tied up two fire engines where time was spent attending this incident.

"This is very dangerous and could have been a real problem if another genuine call had come in at that time."

Police and fire chiefs have launched an investigation into the call came from a telephone box on the corner of Blackburn and Accring-ton Road.

In 2003, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service received 1,323 hoax calls which included 164 in Blackburn.

In 2004 there were 1,225 calls, with 152 in Blackburn; in 2005 there were 1,047 calls with 108 in Blackburn; and in 2006 there were 1,005 calls with 94 in Blackburn.

Watch manager Barker added: "The advancement of technology has made it easier to trace hoax calls when it's a phone box or mobile phones.

"We are in the process of obtaining the tape so that it can be thoroughly investigated."