A disgruntled resident left a note criticising a paramedic's "appalling" parking as he was treating a critically ill patient.
The health worker was in his ambulance delivering emergency care to a girl when he heard someone repeatedly honking their car horn.
The North East Ambulance Service employee then watched in horror as a man got out of his car and left a note on his ambulance.
The note, left on the windscreen, said: “I have take pictures of you leaving ambulance in middle of road, when there is no need for.
"Your behaviour is appealing [sic] and you should be kept responsible for your actions as a 'professional driver'."
The handwritten note was signed from "a resident who can't get to his house!".
The paramedic, who asked not to be named, said he was left "frustrated and disheartened that people can behave like that when we're trying to save someone's life".
The paramedic parked his ambulance on the cul-de-sac in front of the property he and his colleagues needed access to.
They had managed to get the patient out of the house and moved them into the back of the ambulance when they heard someone honking their horn "for several minutes".
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The paramedic said: "It's frustrating. We work so hard and there was just a complete lack of thought - imagine if it was someone in his family we were treating.
"We had two ambulances there so it was clear that it was something serious.
"We don't park there for fun - if I could have parked anywhere else I would have done, but I'd parked on the single road which is the best point of access for us.
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"It was really only the car park that he couldn't access, there were plenty of places in front of my ambulance to park.
"But instead of parking a bit further away and walking, or sitting and waiting for five minutes, he chose to do that."
A NEAS spokesperson said: "One of our ambulance crews was dealing with a life-threatening trauma on the back of an ambulance recently when a resident left a note with a complaint about the position of the vehicle.
"The crew was busy delivering life-saving treatment at the time, which was critical for their patient.
"Whilst our teams make every effort to avoid obstructing the highway, there are occasions in the course of their work when a patient’s life might be at risk and every second of treatment is critical in their care. On those occasions, moving a vehicle may not be the highest priority for our staff.
"Understandably, the team concerned was surprised and disappointed to have received a note of complaint given what they were dealing with.
"We appreciate that on this occasion a nearby driver did experience some inconvenience and would not have been aware of what was going on inside the ambulance but we rely on the support of members of the public at such times to be patient, bear with us and allow us to deliver critical life-saving treatment."
