A parking warden caused outrage this week when he ticketed an ambulance car believed to be attending a medical incident.

Onlookers were aghast to see the civil enforcement officer issue the £130 fine to a clearly-marked ambulance vehicle in Haverstock Hill, Belsize Park.

The car was in a loading bay opposite Budgens supermarket on Tuesday at about 4pm. The ambulance worker told witnesses he was dealing with an incident nearby.

Stefano Varlese, who works in Belsize Park and saw the warden at work, said: “Why is he giving an ambulance a parking ticket when he’s there for a reason, to help the public? It’s just totally wrong.”

A spokesman for Camden Council said emergency services are not exempt from normal parking restrictions.

He said the penalty charge notice (PCN) would be cancelled if the driver can provide records showing he was called to an emergency. He added: “Our civil enforcement officers are trained to only proceed with issuing a ticket if after observation they do not believe that the vehicle is attending an emergency call.”

The car was thought to be from a private ambulance service.