AN OVERZEALOUS parking attendant slapped a ticket on an ambulance first response vehicle while paramedics were treating an elderly patient at the Regent Centre in Christchurch.

Onlookers were left “shocked and astounded” by the actions of the Dorset County Council parking warden who issued the ticket to the emergency vehicle on Christchurch High Street.

Cabinet Member for Environment, Hilary Cox, said: “This seems completely ridiculous, I am gobsmacked.

“I’m sure common sense will prevail.”

Paramedics were called to attend an elderly male patient at 11am on Sunday, November 24 and he was subsequently admitted to Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Richard Day, 49, from Bransgore, who was shopping on Christchurch High Street with his wife and children, was so surprised to see a parking ticket on the windscreen that he took a photo. He said: “Obviously someone was in desperate need of emergency help so we were left completely shocked that a parking warden would issue a ticket.

“I found this absolutely incredible and my whole family were completely astounded.

“Many people walking by were shouting at the traffic warden.”

South Western Ambulance Service said discussions were ongoing with Dorset County Council over the parking ticket.

A spokesperson from the ambulance service said: “A rapid response vehicle and full ambulance attended the incident and a ticket was administered to the response vehicle.

“We received a call to attend an elderly male patient at the Regent Centre who was subsequently admitted to Royal Bournemouth Hospital.”

Simon Gledhill, Dorset County Council’s parking services manager, said: “The traffic warden saw that the vehicle was causing a clear hazard to the travelling and pedestrian public.

“Emergency vehicles are treated like any other vehicle unless their blue lights are on.

“This indicates that they are on an emergency call and we will not give them a penalty charge notice.

“In this situation there was nothing to indicate that this vehicle was on a call and was therefore ticketed.”

“Discussions have taken place with the Ambulance service and we have agreed to rescind the PCN on this occasion.”