NOSTALGIA: Fun during the big freeze

With Wimbledon at the halfway point we can officially say that summer is under way, so to help you cool down this week we look back at the freezing cold winter of 1979.
Youngsters play around in the snowYoungsters play around in the snow
Youngsters play around in the snow

Pictured having fun on New Year’s Day are, from left to right, Jackie Williams, Kathryn Williams, David Lockhart and Mark Lockhart, who are taking advantage of the snow and ice which fell in Daventry district during the coldest wintry spell the area had seen in 16 years.Temperatures fell well below freezing point, food shelves were emptied by panicking parents, and long queues formed at petrol stations. One picture taken by this newspaper’s photographer showed sharp icicles drooping off a gate on Whilton Locks.In spite of the big weekend freeze, emergency services in Daventry reported one of their quietest New Year’s on record.No accidents were reported to police, and no cases of drunken drivers either.It was a similar story for the ambulance and fire services as it seemed the people of Daventry heeded the warnings of the dangers on the roads.“We’ve had nothing at all this weekend,” said an emergenc services spokesma, “not even a mince pie.”