OCCASIONALLY, snow has fallen during the merry month of December, especially on Christmas eve of 1970, when Bradford and most of the West Riding was suddenly cloaked in white. A contradiction of recent weather forecasts weathermen had to immediately revise their previous predictions of a white Christmas. Meanwhile, thousands of families had set out early to beat the Christmas holiday rush. There was also a reminder to fill up with petrol before Christmas Day, as almost every garage in the country would be closing until December 28.

IN 1979, the Christmas scene was well and truly set when Bradford and its surrounding districts awoke to a liberal sprinkling of snow. According to a weather spokesman, there was still more to come just in time for Santa to get around on his sleigh, but he had to hurry, as it was all gone by Christmas Day.

CLEARING a pathway to his door, one lonely motorist took his chances down a snow filled Park Lane, Queensbury in December 1961. All routes to the Dales were blocked and hundreds of householders in the “Frozen North” of Bradford, the Chat Hill and School Green areas of Thornton, were without power for three days.

Queues built up and food counters were besieged in 1979 as Bradford's shoppers went on a last-minute Christmas spending spree. At Philip Smith’s pie shop, in Ivegate, the Christmas queue stretched for many yards as stand pies, sausage meat and other meat products disappeared from the shelves.