‘M62 closure meant my one hour journey turned into a nine hour dream’

Inbaal Honigman, 48, from Holmfirth, had made the way to the airport to pick up her father, who lives in Israel and was due to land in the early hours of this morning (Mar 10).

But after heavy snow fell throughout the night and into the early hours of the morning, the M62 became packed with cars struggling to make it through the snow.

National Highways said drivers illegally using the hard shoulder and lanes which had been closed led to delays to the road being gritted and ploughed. The agency said there were delays of three hours, but others said it took much longer.

Inbaal said: “I picked him up and got towards the motorway to Holmfirth.

“I knew the smaller roads were already closed in the evening, Wessenden Head and the other one so I was going to go round Manchester, then M62 then Huddersfield.

“We got on the motorway and stood there. Other cars were switching their engines off. Snow was pelting.”

Despite only having chewing gum to hand, Inbaal enjoyed quality time with her father.

She said: “I hadn't seen my dad since November because he lives in Israel where I'm from, so we spent the time catching up and laughing together.

“It was a gift really because I never spend the night away from home and away from the kids.

“I never get to just have a sit down with my dad because the kids are always there, so it was an amazing extraordinary experience we will both cherish.”

As they were both gasping for a drink, as soon as they got to Huddersfield they grabbed a coffee before heading back home for a nap.