BARRY and the Vale were recorded as having the most snow in the country as the ‘Beast From The East’ met Storm Emma

Fifty-five centimetres of snow fell in St Athan on Thursday night – more than anywhere in the UK.

All Vale schools were closed on Thursday and Friday (March 1 and 2), meaning St David’s Day and World Book Day celebrations were put on hold.

And the fallen snow continued to disrupt day-to-day life over the weekend and into Monday.

Shops either closed, shut early or completely ran out of stock – particularly bread and milk – and residents as well as shoppers found that travel was almost impossible.

A2B taxis and Jones Dairies did their best to answer customer demand.

A number of road traffic collisions happened in and around the town, and public transport ground to a halt with treacherous road conditions in place.

Entertainment events and sporting fixtures were rendered impossible and the big freeze continued to take its toll.

But the snow wasn’t all bad.

Families created precious memories with snow angels, snowmen, snowball fights, and sledging, and even igloo-building providing four-day’s-worth of weather-related activities.

Barry snow heroes emerged from the cold, with volunteers from the RNLI Barry Dock lifeboat and former servicemen using their 4xs4 vehicles to transport medical staff.

Dave Elliott, chairman of Holton Road traders, was also on hand to offer his services.

Mr Elliott said: “My daughter showed me a post from Facebook asking for help and I said yes.

“Within 20 minutes I had a call from a ward nurse in Barry hospital asking if I can pick up a nurse from Daffodil ward in Llandough and take her home.

“My daughter Emma Thorne had gone to see if she could find him and came back with a different nurse who lives in Sarn, Bridgend.

“Dave Hanswell and another nurse also turned up. So I took them home in Cardiff.”

Mr Elliott took a stranded driver up to Ely as his 14-year-old daughter was home alone.

He towed two men in Sarn, helped people on the A48 and took four nurses to Cardiff’s University Hospital of Wales.

He rescued stranded motorists, passengers and moved two cars onto a verge – taking the occupants to Bridgend.

And he continued transporting people to and from hospital throughout the four days.

Colcot residents cleared the primary school’s snow ensuring it was safe to re-open.

Elsewhere Dyffryn Place residents defrosted pipes, shopped, took meals and even dug a path so one of its elderly residents could cross the road to a baby shower.

Resident, Rowena Hughes said: “It’s been amazing to finally see communities working together and talking and having fun. A refreshing change from the doom and gloom there has been of late.”

The Vale council said 161 care home staff were taken to and from work between Thursday and Sunday.

A total of 191 home visits were made by carers, 23 using the council’s 4x4 vehicles, and there were 16 runs transporting staff to and from Barry Hospital.

Weddings took place at Hensol Castle and St Mary Hill Golf Club with registrars for both transported from Barry by 4x4 and 15 district nurse visits were made.