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SO MUCH for all of that guff about global warming! Are world leaders having the wrong debate? We are experiencing the most prolonged period of icy weather in 40 years and feeling every bit of it. The harsh conditions are expected to continue into early next week. It is a time for taking particular care while driving, cycling or walking and for making sure that elderly neighbours are looked after in these difficult circumstances.

Since Christmas, light falls of snow followed by freezing conditions have impacted most severely on people living in rural areas and urban housing estates, where roads and footpaths remained untreated by local authorities. But the main roads were kept open because of the hard work and long hours put in by council gritting crews. Serious disruption and inconvenience was, indeed, caused. But, unlike previous occasions, all traffic did not come to a juddering halt.