Fire crews blast driver who parked outside Cosham station Published duration 29 November 2019

image copyright HFRS image caption The car was parked on the fire station forecourt

Firefighters have criticised the "mindless" behaviour of a driver who parked their car in front of a fire station.

Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) tweeted a video of the Ford Focus directly outside the bay doors of Cosham Fire Station on Thursday.

HFRS said an emergency vehicle was delayed from attending a car crash.

Station manager Steve Jenkins said it "highlights the disregard some drivers have for the emergency services".

In a tweet crews showed the car left on the forecourt of the fire station in Wayte Street, Portsmouth, with the caption "mindless parking award".

A subsequent post showed the vehicle about to be towed away by a recovery firm.

The fire service said other vehicles responded to the crash as a result of the delay to the Cosham appliance.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Apter said: "The issue of motorists blocking the paths of emergency services vehicles is worse than ever before.

"These issues are causing delays and when tackling a fire or cutting somebody out of a car this can be the difference between life and death."