Minus 19: How they survived the icy snap in England's coldest village

RESIDENTS of a Yorkshire village named as the coldest in England said they are getting through the cold snap with a "good community spirit".

By The Newsroom

Published 3rd Dec 2010, 17:53 BST

As temperatures plummeted across the UK last night, thermometers at the weather station at Topcliffe, North Yorkshire registered minus 19 degrees C - the lowest in England.

Parish council chairman Garry Key said the current cold snap is the coldest he can remember.

But he said a foot of snow has not brought the village to a halt, although it has shut the primary school.

Mr Key said: "It's not got above minus six all day.

"It's cold but we're not cut off. You have to give North Yorkshire County Council credit for keeping the roads open.

"There's a really good community spirit here. People are supporting each other and going round checking on everyone.

"I think it's the coldest it's been since the 1940s."

The village is on the River Swale, near Thirsk. The weather station is situated at the nearby airfield.