Hoax call warning as Peterborough school holidays start

Many youngsters have now started their six week break from school – but there are fears that some could turn to making false calls to police.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “Last year during the school summer break, the number of hoax calls we received increased by 16% across Cambridgeshire compared to the previous period when children were at school.

“As we enter this year's summer period, parents are being urged to talk to their children about risks and criminal consequences of hoax 999 calls.

“Those prosecuted can face a £5,000 fine or up to six months in prison, and they could also be preventing a real emergency getting through to police - potentially costing lives.

“Hoax calls increase the pressure on our call handlers, who already face increased demand due to the warm weather and longer days.”