Many residents across the area had two days’ enforced rest and for some, an extra long weekend, courtesy of Storm Emma, which hit the West Country last Thursday.

The area was issued with a red weather alert, meaning there was a risk to life, and Highways England warned all road users to stay indoors overnight into Friday morning due to freezing rain.

Storm Emma met the ‘Beast from the East’, which had already covered parts of the UK in heavy snow, and brought enough to cause plenty of disruption here, too – closing local schools and workplaces and bringing transport systems to a halt.

Neighbours and friends gathered together to clear local pathways, with many roads and lanes impassable. At Peasedown St John and Braysdown Lane, in particular, there were six foot snow drifts, thanks to high winds. Local workers in possession of a 4x4 were offering lifts to hospital staff, and one was even used to transport a best man to a stag do that had to be relocated, thanks to the weather.

Peasedown St John Residents’ Association members, Richard Clarke, Geoffrey Fenton and Nathan Hartley were out clearing snow and gritting pavements in areas where older people live, such as St John’s Close and Albert Avenue. On Friday they spent two hours clearing and gritting an essential route to Hillcrest GP Surgery, so that those needing medical help could have access.

The good neighbours from Lower Peasedown and Cam Vale also came together as an impromptu working party to clear the snow drifts from the lane, locally known as Firgrove. Drifts of up to 30 inches of snow were cleared to enable safe access by vehicles and pedestrians stranded during the snowfall, with hot drinks provided by neighbours to cheer the workers. The hills were alive with the sounds of joyful screams as children (and adults) rushed for their sledges.

For the first time in its history, the Bath Half Marathon was cancelled, with organisers agonising over the decision that brings thousands of people to the city each year. Some ran the circuit on Sunday using the route’s pavements, despite being urged not to, feeling the pressure to run for chosen charities and to fulfil months of training. Others have signed up to the next local race, the Yeovil Half Marathon, which takes place on 25th March.

One thing is for sure, it was a few days that we are unlikely to forget!