Fire service sent 176 false alarm bills last year

The Island's Fire and Rescue Service sent out 176 invoices for callouts to false alarms last year - the highest figure in the last seven years.

A Freedom of Information request to the Department of Home Affairs asked how many charges had been issued for false alarms or prank calls in the last 10 years.

The department says it only keep figures for seven years - during which time 939 charges were made for false alarms.

No charges were made for fake or prank calls in that time, and the department says it doesn't know how many invoices went unpaid.