East Sussex Fire Brigade dealt with more false alarms than actual blazes in 2002-3, new figures reveal.

The brigade received 5,807 false alarms compared with 4,582 call-outs to fires.

Crews also dealt with 3,443 call-outs to special services, such as road accidents, saving animals or flood rescue.

The figures do not state how many of the false alarms were malicious.

Preston Circus in Brighton was the busiest of the authority's 24 fire stations answering 3,893 incidents, including 1,363 false alarms.

Eastbourne station had the most false alarms with 765 which accounted for 41 per cent of its 1,847 incidents.

Roedean, with 36 per cent, Preston Circus, with 35 per cent, and Wadhurst, with 34 per cent, were the next worst for false alarms.

Councillor Mike Murphy, chairman of the fire authority, said: "Substantial brigade resources are focused on trying to reduce this unacceptably high level of calls."

The figures show residents paid £36.43 each towards fire and rescue services in 2002-2003, compared with £32.90 the previous year. The target had been £36.24.

People will pay even more this year. The latest council tax increase included a £38.90 charge for each council taxpayer.

That has allowed the authority to increase its annual spend by seven per cent to £30 million, with plans to recruit more firefighters.

Overall, the number of fire calls per 100,000 people last year fell from 72.2 to 61.82, just short of the authority's 60.24 target.