The photograph of the 1947 winter, which featured in the Gazette & Herald on March 4, brought back memories of trying to get fodder to the hill farms above Pateley Bridge.

During a lull in the weather, I managed to get a few loads of oat straw to the hill farmers.

Later, when I went back to them they’d lost most of their sheep, smothered on the moor where they lay, and they all declared had it not been for the oat straw the cattle would have joined them.

Makes one wonder how would the country survive should such a winter return because two inches of snow seems to cause plenty of traffic problems.

Douglas Punchard, Helmsley