HOAX: NWAS crews were sent out to a hoax heart attack patient, while a genuine caller had to wait 'vital minutes' Picture: Tom Kay
A PRANK caller sent paramedics to a hoax heart attack incident, forcing a genuine call for a patient in cardiac arrest just minutes later having to wait for help.
The calls were both made to the North West Ambulance Service on Tuesday night.
Although no details have been disclosed of where the incidents occurred, a warning has been sounded for people to not misuse the life-saving hotline.
A spokesman from NWAS said: "[On Tuesday night] we received two 999 calls minutes apart in the same area to patients in cardiac arrest.
"The nearest resource rushed to the first incident only to find it was a hoax.
"The second patient was genuine and vital minutes could have been lost.
"Hoax calls put lives at risk."
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