FIRE crews have condemned the actions of a ‘mindless’ driver who parked their car in front of the entrance to Ramsbury fire station at the weekend.

The blue Suzuki blocked the way in and out for fire engines at the station in the High Street on Sunday afternoon.

On the same day that the car was photographed, crews from the station were called to a fire in Oaksey, the third callout that week.

Ramsbury Fire Station described the parking incident as a regular occurrence and used the Marlborough Fire Station Twitter account to remind people not to park or turn on the forecourt.

They said: “@Ramsbury_Fire had its entrance blocked by a mindless driver. Please don’t block emergency vehicle access.”

Station manager Jason Underwood said that a similar incident in the future could be life threatening.

He said: “It is important to keep the exit of the fire station clear because any delay caused to the crew could be life threatening.

“We appreciate that Ramsbury High Street in particular is a busy area but parking in front of the forecourt is never a good idea.”

The issue was discussed at a parish council meeting on Monday evening. Council chairman Sheila Glass said: “Thoughtless parking like this can endanger lives.

“All retained fire stations are necessary for the safety of the community they serve.

“In a small village like Ramsbury it is especially true because we are some way from another station.

“Our firemen and woman are not only trained in firefighting but also in first response, so to be unable to get to a call could literally be a matter of life and death for someone in trouble.”

The parish council urged residents to be aware of where they are parking in and around Ramsbury, highlighting that bad parking can also prevent fire engines from getting down narrow roads.

Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue group manager Dave Jacomb said: “There are often incidents where crews are delayed because of inconsiderate parking.

“Many streets were not designed to accommodate the number of cars that are now being parked in them.

“Sadly, it is only a matter of time before such a delay leads to a significant loss of property or even a life. We would therefore urge everyone who parks on the roadside to help us to provide the prompt emergency response that is rightly expected of us.”

The car has since been moved.