Buckoke v GLC [1971] Ch 655   

Lord Denning:

“ A driver of a fire engine with ladders approaches the traffic lights. He sees 200 yards down the road a blazing house with a man at an upstairs window in extreme peril. The road is clear in all directions. At that moment the lights turn red. Is the driver to wait for 60 seconds or more for the lights to turn green? If the driver waits for that time the man’s life will be lost…. The circumstances go to mitigation and do not take away his guilt.”

 

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