PRANK callers are putting lives at risk by sending ambulances on hundreds of bogus call-outs each year, official figures have revealed.

The data shows more than 6100 malicious calls were made to the 999 service over the last three years,

More than one-third of these calls - 2294 - resulted in an ambulance being needlessly despatched, with the hoax only discovered when it arrived on scene.

Scotland's largest health board areas, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian, were the main victims of malicious callers, although high levels were also recorded by NHS Lanarkshire.

The data shows there were 888 instances in 2011-12 when an ambulance reached its hoax "destination", 731 in 2012-13 and 675 in 2013-14 - an average of two wasted journeys every day.

The information was obtained by the Scottish Conservatives.

Although the total numbers have been declining year on year, Tory health spokesman Jackson Carlaw said the scale of the problem remained "huge" and called for "stiff punishments" for the culprits.

He said: "These figures are absolutely despicable. No-one would be surprised if there were a handful of hoax calls from bored teenagers, but the sheer scale of this suggests a problem far more deep-rooted. It will be a huge headache for call-handlers and managers.

"But, more acutely, twice a day ambulance vehicles are sent out on these jobs under blue light, only to find upon arrival it was all a prank.

"That's not only a massive waste of resources, but it's putting at risk those who genuinely need the urgent attention of an ambulance.

"We have to ensure stiff punishments are in place for those who are caught engaging in this loathsome practice, which would deter others from embarking on similar behaviour in future."

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week praised the blue-light services which attended the Glasgow bin lorry tragedy that killed six people.