Rescue efforts after 200 stranded in snow were delayed, says report

An emergency services “debrief” of the incident on the A57 in South Anston last year found a lack of understanding about the scale of problem at an early stage which delayed rescue efforts.

It also warned that there was a lack of co-ordination between different agencies which prevented appropriate plans being developed in a “timely manner”.

During the snowfall at the end of November and in early December – which was recorded as the heaviest in parts of Yorkshire for a century - motorists and lorry drivers were stuck in drifts on the A57 Worksop Road between Todwick and Worksop. The report said that because the snow was more severe than expected, the police did not have a specific plan in place to deal with the incident.

However the report says the rescue operation should still be seen as a success.

It also praised mountain rescue teams and local residents for their role in rescuing motorists.

Chief Superintendent Keith Lumley, head of operational support services for South Yorkshire Police, said: “The force received thousands of snow-related calls, having to prioritise incidents across the county, but dealt with the situation in South Anston as effectively as possible given the challenging conditions. As with any serious incident, there are always lessons to be learned and the debrief report, produced by emergency services, enabled the force and other agencies to make necessary improvements.”