Woodhead MRT members at the rescue scene
Record snowfall this week saw mountain rescue teams combine to help more than 150 motorists stranded on a South Yorkshire route.
Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team was called to evacuate more than 100 people trapped in their vehicles overnight on the A57 between Anston and Worksop, on the South Yorkshire-Nottinghamshire border.
The team’s Land Rover ambulance had been put on standby on Tuesday as the deepest snowfall since records began in 1882 hit the area.
The following morning the team responded to reports of a collapsed tunnel, which turned out to be a false alarm, but it soon became apparent there was a large number of motorists in distress.
Team member Wayne Thackray said: “The road had become undriveable with such deep snow and so many vehicles blocking the route through. Our first priority was to get people out of the cold and into a place where we could get them warm.”
Further team members were called out and the Woodhead rescuers were joined by a Land Rover and crew from the Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team in West Yorkshire and two from Edale Mountain Rescue Team in Derbyshire.
The scene at the church hall
Motorists were taken to South Anston Methodist Church where beds, hot drinks and food were available for them while they waited for a chance to return to their vehicles and clear the road. A search of surrounding roads was then carried out to find any other trapped motorists, though none were found.
The Woodhead Land Rover continued helping emergency services throughout Wednesday and Thursday, taking medical staff to patients, delivering essential medication, transporting emergency heating to a family who had been without power since the weekend, and attended several medical incidents.
The team also helped police officers get to snowbound police stations.
The volunteers put in more almost 300 man-hours and went to the aid of more than 15 stranded vehicles, including one ambulance, helping more than 150 people during the week.
The team extended its thanks to colleagues from Edale and Calder Valley, and to the people of South Anston for helping the stranded motorists and helping keep the emergency teams fed and watered.
