Anti-freeze

Thursday is March 1 and, meteorologically speaking, the first day of spring. But winter has a sting in the tail. What weatherwatchers are calling the Beast from the East is about to pay a visit to our shores, bringing subzero temperatures and snow from deepest Siberia, especially to parts of the country that have had an otherwise benign season. While the North and Scotland have had plenty of the white stuff, hardly a flake has fallen in London or the South.

But even the bitterest winds at this time of year promise warmth to come. As we trudge through the snow this week, or wait for trains and buses that never arrive, that is a thought to cherish.