SELFISH drivers are putting the lives of neighbours at risk, fire chiefs have warned.

Cleveland Fire Brigade is appealing to residents to make a New Year resolution to park on their drives, not on the street, to help to save lives.

The brigade has revealed that every week someone from one of Teesside's 15 fire stations has to knock on a door to get cars moved off the street to allow an appliance through on its way to a 999 call.

Frantic crews have even had to lift cars out of the way of appliances rushing to the scene of a fire.

Redcar-based Station Officer Jim Ruse said: "A couple of minutes hold up in getting to a fire can mean the difference between life and death.

"It is a distinct possibility we may not be able to get through in time.

"We would ask people if they have a drive, please use it. Someone could be parked over a hydrant, leaving us with great difficulty in getting a continuous water supply.

Assistant divisional officer Alan Gill urged motorists without a garage to avoid parking opposite another car, narrowing the carriageway.

"We experience this a lot in the Cleveland Fire Authority area,'' he said.

"It is not just people with drives refusing to use them, but cars parked opposite one another on narrow roads.

"We would appeal to people to be sensible, be considerate. They are risking the lives of people in their own community.''