Mountain rescue team pays tribute to South Anston villagers

Members of the team were the first on the scene on Wednesday after snow blocked a stretch of the A57 between Anston and Worksop.

Initial reports of a collapsed tunnel were proved untrue and a major incident was declared because of the number of stranded motorists

Team member Wayne Thackray said "The road had become un-driveable 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.”

Other  members of the Woodhead Mountain Rescue team were called in, along with a Land Rover and crew from the Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team in West Yorkshire and two Land Rover crews from Edale Mountain Rescue Team in Derbyshire.

Woodhead Team doctors helped to set up and run medical assessment needs at the relief centre, which was set up at South Anston Methodist Church.

Motorists given  beds, hot drinks and food  while they waited for  to return to their vehicles.

The rescue teams also searched surrounding roads for any other trapped motorists.

Mr Thackray estimated that the teams helped rescue more than  150 motorists and recovered more than 15 stuck vehicles, including an ambulance

Other tasks carried out by volunteer search and rescue teams included:

Transporting essential medicines to vulnerable people. Transporting temporary heating to a family who had been without power since Sunday.

Attending more than 10 medical incidents.

Transporting police officers to and from work.

Mr Thackray added: “The team would like to thank all the people of South Anston who so selflessly helped others in need, as well as keeping the emergency teams fed and watered; Edale and Calder Valley teams for turning out so promptly to assist  in such difficult conditions and South Yorkshire Police whose help was vital to ensure we could do our work.”