FOUR years ago Surrey descended into chaos after bitter winter weather gripped the county. The snow began on the last day of November 2010 and there were fresh falls in the run-up to Christmas.
Perishing winds from the east whistled in on Tuesday, November 30 accompanied by snow which became heavy and prolonged, and forcing 400 lorries from all across Europe to grind to a halt on the M25 near Reigate Hill.
Caterham was virtually paralysed by one of the heaviest November snowfalls in living memory.
Schools closed their gates and disgruntled drivers abandoned their cars on the roadside as more than eight inches of snow settled in parts of East Surrey.
Caterham, Woldingham, Warlingham and Whyteleafe were among the worst-hit places in the county.
Suresh Patel, of Priyas newsagent's in Chaldon Common Road, Chaldon, phoned the Surrey Mirror, furious at the lack of grit on the roads.
"I was up at 4am on Tuesday morning and people and cars were slipping all over the place in the ice," he said. "There was not one grain of salt on the road. What sort of council do we pay money to?
"I have lived all over the country and never have I come across anyone as bad as Surrey County Council when it comes to dealing with bad weather. Why did they not learn their lesson from last year?"
Police closed off Burntwood Lane, Caterham, that Tuesday afternoon in an attempt to prevent accidents.
Shortly after the snow started to fall, Woodlea, Hillcroft and Clifton Hill schools all announced they would be closing their doors due to the adverse conditions. As the snow continued to fall, de Stafford, Warlingham, St Peter and St Paul CofE Primary and St Francis Catholic Primary decided to follow suit.
Warlingham School announced an early closure at 1pm after a double road accident closed off Tithe Pit Shaw Lane.
Jean Cruwys, of Hillbury Road, Whyteleafe, told our reporter: "A school bus going up the road to Warlingham School started skidding at the top of the hill.
"In the end, the driver abandoned the bus, and the pupils on it said they were being sent home."
Drivers also abandoned their cars on Godstone Road, Whyteleafe, after a transporter got stuck in the snow at the Whyteleafe roundabout.
The Surrey Mirror reported in its December 2 edition: "But on the up side, 'Caterham's biggest snowball fight' – weather permitting – was due to take place yesterday (Wednesday). A Facebook entry by Mark Jones – the man behind the town's planned new radio station – called for a mass turnout at Queen's Park for the afternoon skirmish.
Late in the evening of November 30, huge queues of traffic built up on the A217 all the way from Morden and Sutton to Kingswood and Reigate. Motorists were stuck for hours on end, unable to get down Reigate Hill because of the slippery conditions. Those that did attempt the dangerous descent slewed into the snow at the side of the road near the Suspension Bridge.
At 10pm, more than 400 lorries were parked on the hard shoulder of the M25 in near blizzard conditions. Many of the drivers had exhausted their permitted hours of driving without a break and had simply given up and pulled over.
The motorway was at a near standstill all the way to Leatherhead and beyond.
Next day, the snow continued to fall, adding to the misery of those needing to get to work or school.
Icicles formed on roofs in the sub-zero conditions on December 1.
Nearer to Christmas there was worse to come, however.
A sudden and almighty snowstorm swept in with a vengeance mid-morning on Saturday, December 18. Rotary Club carol singers in Reigate town centre were plastered with snow but doggedly kept on singing.
The car park of Morrisons supermarket in Reigate was buried under five inches of snow and bulldozers were brought in to clear the tons of snow so Christmas shoppers could continue getting in their essential seasonal provisions.
December 25 did not enjoy an official white Christmas but there was snow remaining on the ground from the earlier falls in December as families walked their dogs on Redhill Common.
The rest of the winter was not as severe.
Even in the first week of February remains of the pre-Christmas snow were still lying in frozen drifts at Beddlestead, Titsey and Botley Hill.
The early December snowfall was the heaviest for the time of year for more than 100 years. The cold was near record-breaking, too, with -14.7C (5F) observed at the Chipstead on December 3.
