Joke calls are not a new problem

2:28pm Monday 21st April 2008

Sir.-I write regarding The Gazette's campaign "Hoax 999 calls are no joke".

In the 1980s I used to work at BT, in Aldershot, where we would receive 999 calls at the exchange and forward them on to the correct emergency service.

We had to pass on these calls should the person/people request fire, police or ambulance, as it was not our job to query whether or not they were genuine.

We would then stay connected to the call in order to take down details as back-up to the emergency service.

It always amazed me to see how many of these hoax calls came from Basingstoke.

It strikes me that nothing much has changed over the years!

-Teresa Johnstone, Sandys Road, Basingstoke.

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