Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service saw their resources strained by a record number of false alarms in 2023-24, new figures show.

Figures from the Home Office revealed that the fire service attended 9,280 fire-related false alarms – accounting for 52 per cent of all 17,965 incidents attended.

The most common reason for these incidents was due to fire alarm or equipment errors, which made up 71 per cent of these false calls.

In contrast, 26 per cent were made in good faith and only 3 per cent were made in malice or as a prank.

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Nationally, fire services across England dealt with the highest number of false alarms in 13 years – a massive 254,000 across the country.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Public safety is the highest priority for our dedicated firefighters.

“It is essential people regularly check fire alarms and have procedures in place to ensure they are maintained in an efficient state, working order and in good repair.”