Brrritain in lockdown
Rail chaos, motorists stranded... but everyday heroes help out thousands
GOOD Samaritans battled through the snow to help thousands of drivers stranded by the Beast From The East and Storm Emma.
Locals braved sub-zero conditions to deliver hot drinks, toast and blankets – and even warm milk for a baby.
Others gave up their homes to strangers while community centres were transformed into emergency shelters.
The coldest start to March on record has now caused five days of disruption, killed at least 10 people and dumped 50cm of snow in some areas.
Forecasters say slightly warmer conditions over the weekend could bring further dangers in the form of ice and coastal flooding.
On Thursday night, more than 3,500 vehicles were stuck on the M62 in Greater Manchester as the road was blocked due to drifting snow and 90mph winds. Most of the vehicles cleared but police confirmed 200 were stranded overnight.
Despite the treacherous conditions, at least 30 locals from Milnrow, Rochdale, kept up a steady supply of warm food, water and clothing.
Eleanor Kelly, 19, said: “It’s been amazing to see so many people turning out to help us. We even had to warm up some hot milk for a guy stuck at the junction with two children. We knocked on his car and he had a fiveweek-old baby and what must have been a one or two-year-old girl.”
The local community centre, Butterworth Hall, was transformed into an emergency refuge while some people opened up their homes to strangers.
Nurse Wendy Cheetham, 48, who gave shelter to five drivers, said: “The people of Milnrow went out there in their droves. It has been about commuwere nity spirit.” Pamela Smith, 68, of Wakefield, West Yorks, was stuck on the M62 for over 13 hours.
She said: “There were people coming up and down the motorway with toast in little bags and hot drinks. When you’re in the car for that amount of time, a bit of toast with jam is heaven.”
Sections of the motorway were still impassable last night and some HGVs will only be freed today.
Locals also helped hundreds of motorists who were stranded on the A1 near the Scottish border.
The Castle Hotel in Berwick, Northumberland, has capacity for 28 guests but took in 80 trapped by snowdrifts.
Boss Kirsty McLeod, 46, said: “The rooms were full but we kept on getting calls from people who were stranded.”
The town’s Brewer’s Arms pub also housed 70 people stuck on a Megabus from Edinburgh to Newcastle.
Landlady Margaret Straughan, 64, said: “The community spirit has been
It’s been amazing to see so many turning out to help us ELEANOR KELLY ONE OF THE M62 VOLUNTEERS
fantastic... it was just the floor and chairs, there were no rooms left.”
Greggs driver Jon Gowing was hailed as a “hero” for dishing out doughnuts and cakes from his lorry to fellow stranded motorists on the A1 nearby.
Three people suffered a terrifying ordeal when they were buried in their car beneath 7ft of snow after getting stuck overnight on a rural road in Cowbridge, South Wales.
The couple, in their 40s, and a relative in his 20s, were dug out by volunteers yesterday morning and taken to a fire station for a check up.
On the A272 near Winchester, Hants, tree surgeon Peter Payne, 50, used his tractor to free a stranded ambulance. On the A303 in Somerset, a crashed gritter caused 17-hour gridlock for more than 100 vehicles. This included a bus of 40 people from London. The coach was freed by a snowplough before being taken to an emergency refuge centre at Wincanton Town Hall. On the M5, near Exeter, 50 primary schoolchildren were “trapped” overnight in a McDonalds.
The group, returning to Parc Eglos School in Cornwall from a London trip, had stopped for a break.
Headteacher Brett Dye praised staff saying: “They were prepared to not go home and stay open all night to make sure the children were warm.”
Yesterday Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said it was not his job to prevent snow chaos and insisted most roads, motorways and railways “are still working normally.”
He claimed this winter’s grit stockpiles were the biggest so far but declared: “You can’t prepare for every single weather eventuality.”
A 20-year-old man is believed to be the latest victim of the extreme weather after falling in the show in Haddington, East Lothian, yesterday morning. He later died in hospital.
Up to 80 boats were sunk or wrecked at Holyhead Marina on Anglesey, North Wales.
Millions of pounds worth of damage was caused as massive waves smashed vessels against rocks.
Meanwhile, more than 14,834 schools were closed, while airports cancelled 1,900 flights.
It wasn’t all misery as hundreds of people took part in a massive snowball fight on Clifton Downs, Bristol.
The National Grid also withdrew its gas deficit warning following an increase in supplies to the network.
Thursday’s temperature of -5.2C at Tredegar, South Wales, was the lowest daily maximum on record for March.
Temperatures will rise slightly through the weekend, leading to sleet, rain, icy roads and possible floods.
The Met Office’s Alex Burkill said: “This warming will cause different issues and could be more dangerous.”
When you’re stuck in the car for that amount of time, a bit of toast with jam is heaven PAMELA SMITH DRIVER STRANDED ON MOTORWAY