A Pembroke pastor has infuriated members of his congregation by refusing to reduce the size of his church's car park.

And now Crane Lane residents fear their lives could be put at risk because emergency vehicles cannot negotiate the narrow road adjacent to the newly built First Church of God on North Shore.

A dozen residents met with the Rev. Vernon Lambe to discuss the problem while the church was being built earlier this year.

And, while they recognised that the church board was within its rights to extend the car park to the perimeter of its boundary, they had hoped that the pastor would reduce the size of the car park to enable the narrow lane to be widened.

The car park at the rear of the church juts out onto the lane, making it impossible for large vehicles to drive up it.

Residents claim that a house further up the lane recently burned down after a fire engine was unable to reach it.

And in another tragic incident a Crane Lane resident was unable to receive immediate medical attention because a team of paramedics were delayed while trying to navigate the narrow road. The woman died later in hospital.

"We're not complaining that our view has been blocked out or that there are crowds here on a Sunday making it inconvenient for us,'' one resident, who did not wish to be named, said.

"All we're asking for is that he puts the car park back a few feet so that the road can be widened. Emergency vehicles need to be able to get up here.'' Another resident said: "We only need a couple of feet, perhaps three or four feet. We're okay, we can go up and down the road but ambulances and fire engines can't.'' Residents pointed out that Rev. Lambe has marked the boundary wall between the car park and the lane with a row of potted plants.

"He's claiming that he needs the space for the car park but if he moved the plants that would give us the room,'' another resident said.

The neighbours claim they approached Rev. Lambe about the problem several months ago. He initially said the church board had ruled against reducing the size of the car park but later agreed to reconsider.

But the following day a wire fence was erected on the car park boundary.

And when residents asked why he had not changed his mind, they claim Rev.

Lambe accused them of damaging his property.

Rev. Lambe has now declared the matter closed, despite being approached by Pembroke East MPs Nelson Bascome and Ottiwell Simmons.

"We just don't know what else we can do,'' one resident said. "We want to work with the church but the Rev. Lambe doesn't seem to want to cooperate.

Last night Rev. Lambe refused to comment on the row and would only say that he had fully complied with planning regulations.