A car illegally parked on double yellow lines meant that fire crews "struggled to access" a building they were called out to in Stevenage.

Fire crews were called to Harrow Court at 6.53pm on Tuesday (March 1) after the high-rise building's fire alarms had been activated.

One of the crew said the illegally parked car hindered their access to the high rise building.

Because it was a high-rise building, both Stevenage fire engines attended, along with one from Hitchin fire station.

The Stevenage crew also took their ALP (aerial ladder platform) with them.

"Luckily the incident was a false alarm, with no fire situation," said a Herts Fire spokesperson.

"Had this been a high-rise fire, the illegal parking could have had a really negative impact on our response."

Herts Fire Control tweeted: "Double yellow lines are there for a reason.

"Last night, our crews struggled to access a premises due to inconsiderate parking.

"Please, whenever parking your vehicle, make sure there is enough space for emergency vehicles to pass."