Pregnant woman rescued after cars stranded by deeply drifting snow (From York Press)

Pregnant woman rescued after cars stranded by deeply drifting snow

9:39am Tuesday 5th January 2010 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

POLICE have told how they rescued motorists – including a six-month pregnant woman – who became stranded by deeply drifting snow on the North York Moors.

Officers worked for five hours in potentially life-threatening conditions to help people stuck on Blakey Ridge, between Hutton-Le-Hole and Castleton.

North Yorkshire Police said that PCs Tony Call, Andrew Marsden and Steve Leach braved extremely poor visibility, freezing temperatures and snow drifts of four to five feet to rescue several people on Saturday afternoon.

“At points it was necessary for PC Leach to walk ahead of the 4x4 vehicle in which he and PC Marsden were travelling to guide the way,” said a spokesman.

“While PCs Marsden and Leach guided several people to safety at the Lion Inn public house on Blakey Ridge, PC Call stayed with a group of six 4x4 vehicles and occupants who had become stranded approximately three quarters of a mile from the public house keeping them in one location.”

He said staff from North Yorkshire County Council’s highways department and local farmers also turned out to assist and get the remaining people to safety. One of the stranded motorists contacted the Force Control Room to thank the police for their assistance in rescuing him and the way they handled the situation.

The spokesman said since New Year’s Day, there had been nine serious and nine minor road traffic collisions, and a total of 99 accidents in which vehicles were damaged, but no one was injured.

Meanwhile, the freezing conditions delivered an unexpected bonus for some New Year’s Eve revellers in North Yorkshire after they were forced to spend three days snowed in at England’s highest pub.

Some 60 guests had booked for New Year’s Eve at the Tan Hill Inn, which stands at a height of more than 1,700 feet above sea level in Swaledale.

But heavy, relentless snowstorms on New Year’s Eve left the guests stranded in the pub as seven-foot drifts left them unable to get to their cars as they tried to leave on New Year’s Day.

But landlady Tracy Daly 45, her husband Mike Peace, 63, and two staff kept the stranded guests watered and fed.

The conditions were so bad that gritters and snowploughs were unable to battle through the drifts and make it up to the inn.

Guests from as far afield as Cornwall, the Isle of Lewis in Scotland and a smattering of locals passed the time by playing cards until the roads were finally cleared yesterday.

The landlady explained: “There was a lovely, community atmosphere despite the fact nobody could get home. I suppose there are worse places to be snowed in than a pub.”

The inn, which is currently for sale, offered rooms for a knockdown price of £10 per night rather than the normal figure of £70.

Useful links

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Details of school closures in North Yorkshire.

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Details of severe weather warnings issued for the Yorkshire and Humberside area, plus advice on what to do during periods of snow and ice.

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