Miley Cyrus falls victim to 'swatting' prank

Police in the US believe pop star Miley Cyrus may have been the victim of a "swatting" prank, which saw heavily armed police called to her home.

They received an emergency call about a possible kidnapping and shooting at the former Hannah Montana star's house in Hollywood on Wednesday night.

But when they arrived, there was no one was in the building.

Swatting is when an anonymous call is made to get a team of police to storm a building or an innocent person's home.

Police told ABC News that such incidents are on the rise.

In California, making a false call to emergency services is considered a crime and if convicted, a person could face up to a year in jail.

Police in Los Angeles say an investigation is underway into the incident at Cyrus's home on Wednesday.

They say they are now tracking the caller who made the prank emergency call and, if found, the person will be prosecuted.

Cyrus, the 19-year old actress and singer, is the daughter of American country star, Billy Ray Cyrus - who had a worldwide hit with Achy Breaky Heart.

She gained worldwide fame when she was cast as Miley Stewart, the lead role in Disney's Hannah Montana.

In 2010, Cyrus was ranked number thirteen on Forbes' Celebrity 100.