YORK University could face prosecution after firefighters were called to the campus during a student demonstration.

North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service today described the call as a "hoax" and said it had not ruled out prosecution over the incident in which crews turned out to Heslington Hall.

The university today admitted it sounded a fire alarm after disconnecting a link to the fire station in the hope of persuading more than 400 students to evacuate the building.

University spokeswoman Hilary Layton claimed that half an hour later the fire service was contacted and it was decided they should attend to help disband the crowds who it was felt were causing a fire risk.

Ms Layton said: "Staff were trapped in their offices and the situation was endangering people. If something had happened no one would have been able to get out."

But fire service spokesman Terry Glover said: "We are here to save lives and not a peacekeeping force.

"They should have called the police if the university had difficulties with students. But we are not a means of crowd control when there was clearly no fire.

"A fire alarm is exactly that and we take a very dim view of a hoax call - which this was.

"With the current flooding crisis our resources were taken away and it could have delayed our attendance at a real emergency.

"We are investigating this matter and have not ruled out prosecution." Barry Kirkpatrick, station commander at York Fire Station, said the crews checked for fire as a matter of routine, adding: "We would not and did not get involved in liaising between the two sides.

"We would not go to a protest unless there was fire."

The students had gathered to protest about security arrangements at the university.

They want expansion of security cover at Vanbrugh College, major improvements in lighting on campus, improved security for off-campus residences and no further hidden cuts to security while students are on holiday.

But Ms Layton said: "It's very difficult to understand what their concerns are because security funding has increased this year.

"They are fixated by the fact that there is no longer 24-hour cover at Vanbrugh for the 300 students. But we have moved that to off-campus Halifax college in Heslington, where there are 1,000 students.

"Vanbrugh is within 100 yards of two other colleges and there is 24-hour security on campus."

Dan Simon, speaking on behalf of the Students' Union, said all they had wanted was a peaceful demonstration.

"It's absolutely right that the fire brigade are investigating," he said.

Updated: 16:21 Thursday, February 14, 2002