Danny Jones, aA motorist who filmed himself closely following an ambulance in a bid to get ahead of other traffic has lost his job as a courier.

Wigan local Danny Jones caused uproar after the 40-second clip, filmed himself on a mobile phone while driving, appeared online.

In the video, the pasty-faced driver can be heard saying: “I appear to have found a quicker way to work. Everybody is beeping at me and I don’t care. Are you ready? This is the quickest way to work. Follow this.”

He can be seen overtaking a line of traffic that had pulled over to let an emergency ambulance through.

Jones continues: “Pulling over, pulling over, not me lad, I’m there, I’m on it, I’m going past. Ta-ra all.”

Unsurprisingly, the 22-year-old has attracted criticism from safety groups. A spokesman for road safety charity Brake, said: “This is a shocking example of irresponsible driving. Drivers who use a mobile phone while behind the wheel are taking unnecessary risks, increasing their chances of being involved in a serious crash, which often has devastating consequences for other, innocent road users,” reported the Wigan Evening Post.

“Emergency services personnel are specially trained to drive in emergency situations. Trying to keep up with them is foolish, dangerous and potentially illegal.”

Jones has since removed the video from his Facebook page, telling the Evening Post: “I can see why (people would take offence) and that’s why I’ve removed the video. I don’t want people to be angry and upset about it.”