Peak District rescuers blocked from attending scene of injured hiker by 'selfish' drivers’ poorly parked cars

Authorities have said cars were left abandoned on the side of the road by visitors coming to see the picturesque area amid a temperature plunge bringing snow and frost to the region.

Police warned that dangerously parked cars would be towed and the owners prosecuted.

Photos from the weekend show small roads crowded with vehicles on either side, with no space for cars to drive through.

Popular hiking routes Winnats Pass and Rushup Edge were closed, and the roads in Edale were very congested.

Speaking to the BBC, a Derbyshire Constabulary spokesman said: “Parking like this isn’t just an inconvenience, it blocks the way of ambulances and fire engines responding to potentially life and death emergencies.”

The spokesman urged people to find an alternative place to visit and park.

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“If you can’t find a space where you first intended to visit then don’t simply dump your car, your selfish actions could be the difference between someone receiving life-saving care or not,” he said.

This warning comes as a hiker who suffered a fall received delayed care, due to the rescue team being slowed down by congestion.

Emergency services were called to Lady Booth Clough, four miles from Winnats Pass, on Saturday morning following reports of a fallen man.

The man had fallen on frozen, slippery land above a youth hostel.

He suffered “painful injuries” but his group was well prepared for the conditions and made sure he was medicated and insulated.

The eighteen team members from the Edale Mountain Rescue Team (MRT) involved in the rescue helped treat the man and a Rescue 912 brought him to an ambulance waiting by the roadside.

Despite the mission’s success, Edale MRT issued a warning to drivers : “Yet again, a multi-agency job rescuing a walker in challenging conditions.

“It is worth noting, rescuers’ access to this incident was slowed down by cars parked and abandoned in various locations.

“Please be mindful when enjoying these beautiful snowy conditions that the emergency services may need to get past where you have left your car.”