POLICE last night pledged to show no mercy to 999 hoaxers caught making calls during the firefighters' strike.

Police forces in the North-East and North Yorkshire condemned malicious callers responsible for sending Green Goddesses out unnecessarily.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Sir David Calvert Smith, said hoaxers would be treated as a priority during the strike.

Those traced and found guilty will face up to six months in jail and/or a £5,000 fine.

By midday yesterday, the military said Green Goddesses had attended 25 hoax calls in the North-East. There have been many more malicious calls that have not been responded to.

Fears that foolish hoaxers could put fire crews in danger were highlighted when a Green Goddess answering a bogus call was involved in an accident. Luckily, the appliance was only slightly damaged in the bump with a car in Stockton.

In County Durham, soldiers responded to nine calls in the first six hours, seven of which were hoaxes.

Durham Police Chief Superintendent Eric Irwin said: "We are looking closely at all hoax calls."

Cleveland Chief Superintendent Jeff Evans warned hoaxers that officers were seeking them out. He pledged: "We will prosecute."