AN ambulance with an emergency patient on board was pulled over by the police for a faulty brake light.

Noel Gleeson, who suffers from a heart condition, was in chronic pain from a spine problem and had almost reached hospital when the police car appeared.

At first, the ambulance driver thought the traffic officer wanted to get past and slowed down.

But when the police car pulled in behind him, he switched on his own blue lights to indicate there was a patient on board.

However, the traffic officer persisted and the ambulance was forced to stop.

For vital minutes the ambulance's progress was halted with Mr Gleeson, 58, in growing pain in the back.

The ambulance was almost within sight of the University Hospital of Hartlepool when it was stopped.

Mr Gleeson's daughter, Allison McLean, who was following in her car, said: "I understand the officer had a job to do, but could he not have waited until the ambulance had stopped at the hospital and released its patient into the care of the accident and emergency department?"

The 36-year-old, of Torquay Avenue, Hartlepool, said the doctor had called an ambulance for her father, who also lives in the town, at about 9pm on Sunday.

She said he had previously undergone open heart surgery, but on Sunday was in chronic pain from a corroded disc in his spine, and she was concerned it could trigger another heart attack.

A spokeswoman for Tees, East and North Yorkshire Ambulance said: "We are aware of an incident, but the patient's care was not compromised."

A Cleveland Police spokeswoman said: "The officer was unaware the ambulance was on a call as no lights were displayed at the time the officer attempted to stop the driver.

"Had the lights been switched on at the time, the officer would have waited until it reached the hospital before alerting the driver. A brake light was not in operation."