PARENTS who were shamed by firefighters into staying away from a no-parking zone outside Cricklade fire station appear to have started creeping back.

Last week, crew members aired their frustration at ignorant motorists who parked on the corner of the station forecourt at school pick-up time, blocking the route out for the fire engine in an emergency.

Their picture of an illegally parked Mercedes, posted on social media and picked up by the Adver, was shared by national newspapers and went viral.

Early last week it looked like parents had taken notice and parking wardens were sent to patrol.

But later in the week another car was parked on double yellow lines next to the forecourt, prompting the firefighters to post another picture explaining that the appliance would have to mount the pavement to get past.

The Advertiser sent a reporter along to ask parents what they thought of the parking problem.

“It annoys me,” said one parent, who didn’t want to be named. “I know it’s difficult if you have to drive in and find somewhere to park – that isn’t very easy at the moment down here.

“But some people are selfish. It’s the only way the fire engine can get out and I don’t understand why anyone would want to put their car in the way.”

Childminder Amanda Griffin said the inconsiderate parking extended to the play area next to the fire station as well.

“They block the dropped pavement and you can’t get across. They will not move and they tell you to go on the grass, which I refuse to do with a buggy,” she said.

“You ask them to move and you just get sworn at. On one occasion I threatened to call the police.”

A mum who was walking her children home said: “Sometimes they park one the pavements. It tends to be the same cars.”

One driver didn’t want to stop and talk. “I don’t want to get involved in the conflict of it because I drive to school,” she said

But another said: “Some people have no common sense. I’d feel guilty if my parking stopped the fire engine getting through to someone in an emergency.”

After last week’s post, crew manager Pete Price was delighted to see fewer vehicles using the forecourt to turn and none parking in the yellow hatched area. A parking warden appeared on the scene for a couple of days and Royal Wootton Police promised action.

The problem has been rumbling on for several years.

In 2016 he warned it could cost someone their life and told how the fire engine had to mount the pavement to get out and answer a call to a crash on the A419.