Smoke's no joke!

Invicta FM's breakfast presenter, Neil Francis, who takes great pleasure in winding up listeners with hoax calls, was on the receiving end of a prank last week when his studio filled with smoke.

Neil's co-host, Sam Hughes, secretly triggered a high powered smoke machine (which is used by specialist burglar alarm companies to make it impossible for theives to see what they are trying to steal) during their show - resulting in a worried Neil announcing on air: "There's a load of smoke in the studio so we are just going to play another record.". Almost immediately firemen in breathing apparatus burst through the door and tried to pull Neil out, but he wouldn't budge.

After the show, he said: "When I first saw the smoke I was convinced it was a fire. My first thought was to get Sam to safety. But once we were in the corridor I realised it didn't smell like a fire so I returned to the studio to carry on the programme."

On his return to the studio he found that he couldn't see anything for the smoke - and all of the equipment was non-operational due to control of the desk having been taken by his colleagues next door.

The confusion created by the prank wasn't limited to the studio. Because only three people were aware of the plan, the rest of the Invicta FM staff, along with workers from the neighbouring offices on the business park, evacuated the premises when smoke triggered the fire alarms. Even presenter Johnny Lewis, who was broadcasting his Invicta Supergold show from an adjoining studio, quit his desk and headed in search of a fire extinguisher.