Hoax callers plague Ulster fire troops

Hoax calls continued to plague emergency fire-fighting operations in Northern Ireland today.

Latest figures showed bogus calls to the army firefighters were running at just under 50% of the total despite repeated calls from police and politicians for the hoaxers to stop.

During the first 36 hours of the fire strike the emergency control centre in Belfast received 319 calls, with 139 of them proving to be hoaxes.

In Derry, police escorting military firefighters and their Green Goddesses came under attack for a second night running when paint was hurled over them.

A film crew was also attacked with bricks and bottles after a hijacked vehicle was set alight in the Bogside.

Striking firefighters in Derry left their picket line to help the victims of a head-on car crash outside their Northland Road fire station.