THE WEATHER forecast for that festive weekend in 1962 looked promising – cold and cloudy at first, a risk of fog here and there, but most exciting of all, there would be a scattering of snow.
A white Christmas! Just what we dreamed of! There was not even a hint, though, of the real monster that was heading our way.
Snow was already settling in parts of Scotland, and the first flakes drifted down in north east England on Boxing Day morning, a dusting at first, just a sly hint from Mother Nature of what she had in store.
Before the day was out, flakes became flurries and then snowstorms. A blanket of white spread south at speed. Within 24 hours the entire country was covered, and much of it would stay buried that way until March.
For ten long, ice-cold weeks Britain was snowbound and shivering and to this day the winter of 62-63 is still talked about as the Big Freeze.
Temperatures plunged way below zero and stayed there, while blizzards powered by Siberian winds blowing at 90mph piled drifts as high as houses.
And lives were lost. At least 120 people perished as a direct result of the cruel conditions.
Power cables collapsed, villages and towns were cut off, the sea froze over, half of the wild bird population was wiped out, food supplies began
