Coast Guard units deployed after hoax call

A number of units from the Coast Guard were deployed last night after a hoax emergency flare was set off.

A red parachute marine distress flare was fired in the Howth area of Dublin at around midnight.

This also caused several 999 calls and a report from a ship at sea.

The Coast Guard is reminding people that it is against the law to fire distress flares, unless it is an emergency.