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Off-road team are a lifeline in big freeze
BIG-HEARTED 4x4 drivers have been praised for ferrying people stuck in the snow, including getting a midwife to a newborn baby.
Charitable off-roaders have rushed to the aid of residents and workers across the Dales during the heavy snowfall.
In the past fortnight, members of the Peak 4x4 Response Network have helped shuttle care staff and council workers from across the area and take shopping to elderly residents who had been unable to get out of their homes.
The volunteer drivers also took National Grid and Severn Trent engineers into Ashover after water from a burst pipe flowed into the gas main. They helped move equipment, towed vans and delivered electric heaters to people without heat during the 20-hour job.
Wirksworth midwife Catherine Bancroft-Howson needed the team's assistance to get to a new mum in Bonsall after the village was almost cut off by snow.
She said: "I knew I was not going to be able to go in my own car and with the weather as it is, I was pleased we could call on the 4x4 volunteers.
"They were very, very helpful. It would have been impossible to get to some of the areas we have to get to without them."
Matt Green, who heads up the team of 25 drivers based in the Peak District, helped form the group around three years ago when he moved to the area and contacted other 4x4 enthusiasts.
He said: "We have a good range of people on the team from doctors and paramedics to former police officers.
"We all use our own vehicles and get together to train and make sure we operate and behave safely.
He added: "I think we do it because we hope that if we were stuck somewhere, someone would help us one day."
Derbyshire County Council's cabinet member for highways and transport, Cllr Chris Jackson, said: "During long periods of severe weather we aim to ensure our residents are safe and our services continue to run as normally as possible.
"We have to plan and use our resources very carefully so are extremely grateful to voluntary groups like Peak 4x4 Response who are willing to support our work where they can."
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Weather for Matlock
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
