Parking plea follows fire engine's tight squeeze

Drivers are being urged to park responsibly after drone footage captured the moment a fire engine had difficulty passing between two parked vehicles.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service a crew "struggled" to reach an incident on in Mill Road, Stapleford, on 16 April, due to "poorly parked cars".

Watch manager Kevin Tedd said the fire engine was delayed by about a minute and a half due to the situation.

"While it might not seem like lots of time, a minute delay can be fatal - and every second counts if someone's life is at risk," he said.

Firefighters from Stapleford Fire Station received reports of an open fire at approximately 18:02 BST.

The incident involved a garden decking and seating area, and the fire later spread to a property and caused windows to crack.

Nobody was injured and an investigation concluded the fire was caused by discarded smoking materials.

Fire crews managed to reach the incident, but the fire service told the BBC they were "slowed down" in reaching the scene because of the parked vehicles.

Tedd said it was not the first time a response had been delayed by problematic parking.

"I wish we could say this is one off but it isn't, this keeps on happening," he said.

"A well ventilated fire doubles every two minutes, and speaking to fire crews, I believe that is what happened with this incident.

"If someone is trapped and they are waiting for a minute extra, that can feel like a lifetime.

"I'd just like people to think more about where they park. This could impact us reaching you or someone you know in an emergency."

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