It's no joke

"It never snows in Longton" is a phrase I often trot out when surrounding areas are being blizzard swept. This smug attitude came home to roost with a vengeance on Friday night when an eight-hour snowfall started as I finished my second run of the day.

A couple of hours later it was deep enough to warrant a call to EtU to formulate plan B if conditions worsened further overnight. And worsen they did. Plan B involved a check with EtU just after 6 30 and the word was that the Grimeford area was nearly as bad as Longton and a decision was taken that to travel would be foolhardy.

That was where Plan C came in which involved setting off for a run from home and soon, when running in the virgin snow was impossible (the depth was eight to nine inches with some even deeper patches) .Plan D took me home to an early breakfast.

Since then conditions have not improved much, restricting this morning's run to an energy sapping four miles in a time which being kept a closely guarded secret.