An ambulance was blocked from reaching a casualty at a popular beauty spot by “inconsiderate” drivers.
Medics only managed to reach the individual at St Cyrus Nature Reserve in Aberdeenshire “by luck” police said.
An ambulance came in response to an emergency call at the beach but struggled to gain access because many cars were parked along the verges.
The drivers of the vehicles could have found themselves prosecuted had the ambulance been unable to gain access.
Officers from the Kincardine and Mearns Community Policing Team have been working with Aberdeenshire Council Ranger Services conducting patrols at “hot spot” sites.
They include St Cyrus Nature Reserve, Drum Castle Estate and Stonehaven Harbour.
Verges are no-go areas
Aberdeenshire Ranger Service said: “We appreciate the vast majority of motorists to our countryside and coastline park responsibly and heed the signage which has been installed at known hotspots to keep everyone safe.
“However, a small minority are very inconsiderate in their approach and the incident at St Cyrus could have had very serious consequences had the ambulance not been able to get through.
“We would remind visitors not to park on verges, across access points or on private property.
“We understand that people will want to visit some of the more well-known attractions, but we have so many wonderful areas of countryside and coastline in Aberdeenshire that it’s not worth risking our health or impacting on an area when it has clearly become too crowded.
“So please have a back-up plan – if an area feels too busy or the car park is full, move to your Plan B site.”