SEVERAL hoax 999 calls were made from a phone box in Droitwich, putting lives in danger by diverting resources away from life-threatening incidents.

Police are investigating the silent calls, which were made over recent weeks, and are seeking to trace the offenders.

Following the shocking incidents in Droitwich, officers have issued a warning to members of the public about the implications of hoax 999 calls, labelling them a "drain on resources", and have urged people to use 101 for all non-emergency calls.

Chief inspector Sean Kent, of West Mercia Police, said "We'd like to remind the public about the seriousness of hoax calls. By making these fraudulent calls, you could be preventing the police from attending an incident where someone is in serious need of help.

"All our calls to the police are recorded and those who misuse the 999 service could face prosecution, leading to a criminal record, heavy fines or even imprisonment.

"We'd also encourage parents to speak with their children about the correct use of 999 in an emergency and warn them that they could be putting someone's life in danger by making a hoax call."

Last year West Mercia Police received more than 600,000 calls to the force control room, many of which were requesting police resources to attend serious life-threatening incidents.

But mis-understanding of when to call the emergency 999 or non-emergency 101 numbers remains a problem.

Police have reiterated that 999 should only be used when offenders are nearby, life is at risk, injury is caused or threatened, crime or disorder is in progress or it is an emergency situation.

Otherwise the 101 number can be used for incidents such as minor traffic collisions, damage to property or suspected drug dealing.