Snowfalls bring delight to some, misery to others

They may evoke childhood memories of white winters past, but those who remember snow on this scale must be very old indeed – for parts of Yorkshire saw their heaviest snowfall for a century.

The official line from the Met Office is that Britain had its deepest November snow since 1965 but, as these pictures show, some places have had more than others in the last week.

As the shepherd seen searching for his flock on Commondale Moor in North Yorkshire might testify, the freezing conditions were particularly harsh in rural areas of the region.

But there was no escape for city-dwellers either as persistent snow showers ensured that the morning commute for many began with the sound of scraping on icy windscreens.

Many motorists had to abandon their vehicles as snow piled up on their driveways, and drivers who overcame the challenge thanks to some pushing, pulling and shovelling were typically left wishing they hadn't bothered.

The ferocious conditions brought misery to commuters on the A57 between Sheffield and Worksop, where rescuers worked around the clock after more than 150 lorries became stuck.

Across the region, the return-from-work rush-hour, normally about 5pm, was brought forward to midday after thousands of weary workers were told to turn to make their homes their offices.

At other times, the roads were virtually empty, thanks in part to the decision to close thousands of schools, which spared parents hours of frustration behind the steering wheel.

Shopping malls which ordinarily would have been swarming with Christmas bargain-hunters were forced to close early, and sports centres cancelled fixtures.

Even the region's Christmas tree suppliers warned of problems, as the cold conditions hampered their tree-felling and made it difficult for them to meet demand.

It was a week when Yorkshire folk might have rather travelled to sunnier climes, had the planes and trains not been cancelled. A week when Yorkshire Water reported a surge in calls and when snowmen vied for space with overflowing bins.

And a week to leave us wondering, is more snow on the way?