The South Wales Argus has launched an innovative move to help fight crime, featuring recordings of malicious hoax calls made to the emergency services on its website.

The move is in response to the launch of a zero tolerance campaign by South Wales Fire and Rescue Service in the hope that the perpetrators of the calls can be named and shamed.

The scheme was launched by the Argus on its front page yesterday, as it revealed that hoax calls to the fire service had cost Gwent taxpayers £639,000 in one year alone.

The campaign will feature particularly nasty or persistent callers that continually blight the life-and-death work done by firefighters.

Launching the initiative, the Argus told readers: “Historically Newport has experienced significant problems with such malicious hoax calls and we would urge anyone who has any information to report it to the authorities.

“Such calls are not always made by youngsters playing a prank, but in some cases are made by persistent callers who report serious chemical spills or other major emergencies to waste as many emergency resources as possible.

“This is totally unacceptable behaviour and must be stopped.

“One of the best ways to do so is to make sure such people are named and shamed so they can then be prosecuted and punished.”

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service is asking the public to contact Crimestoppers if they recognise offenders.

The first hoax call recordings on the Argus website can be found here.