This article recounts the harrowing events of the winter of 1962/63, known as the 'Big Freeze', which devastated Britain with its extreme cold and snowfall. It highlights the tragic loss of life, including four climbers who were caught in an avalanche in Saddleworth, and contrasts the severity of that winter with the current milder weather conditions.
A devastating winter 60 years ago claimed the lives of nearly 50 people, including several from Greater Manchester. While wintry weather is causing disruption across Greater Manchester after further snowfall overnight, this cold snap is nothing compared to the infamous winter of 1962/63.
Known as the 'Big Freeze', the winter onslaught - regarded as the worst for 200 years - began on Boxing Day in 1962 and wreaked havoc across Britain until March, with temperatures plummeting to a freezing -20 at times. The Arctic conditions led to thousands of schools shutting down, telephone and power lines collapsing, and power outages affecting thousands of homes. Just before the New Year, a blizzard swept across South West England and Wales, causing snow drifts over 20ft in places, driven by gale-force winds. In central Manchester, snow was six inches deep, but the outer regions of Greater Manchester were hit much harder. In Rochdale, Hollingworth Lake was frozen solid for weeks, in places to depths of two feet. The first weekend in February saw people seizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk across the surface. Down in Kent, the sea froze for nearly a mile, allowing children to play on its surface while ships sat on the ice. But elsewhere, the snow had much more deadly consequences. On January 20, 1963, a massive search and rescue operation was mounted in Saddleworth as soldiers and police scrambled to the scene where a group of climbers were engulfed by an avalanche. The four climbers, affiliated with the Manchester Gritstone Climbing Club, had embarked on a climb of the 200-foot Wilderness gully east on Saddleworth Moor. The expedition was spearheaded by 29 year old Graham West, an adept climber, who was accompanied by Michael Roberts, 27, and two teenagers, Allan Wheeler and John Smith. Tragically, the avalanche struck, sweeping West, Roberts, and Wheeler from the gully's face
WINTER BRITAIN HISTORY COLD SNAP AVALANCHE
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