Worst blizzard this century

The Torridge area – particularly the more remote country areas – was yesterday still recovering from the worst blizzard to hit the Westcountry this century.

At the peak of the storm, six and a half inches of snow were recorded in the Bideford area. Main problems, however, were caused by strong winds which swept the snow into huge drifts, some more than 20 feet hight, and which cut communications between many villages and towns.

Transport was at a standstill and many people had cause to thank the RAF rescue helicopters who flew hundreds of sorties, not only rescuing

Tremendous seas and trail of damage

Hurricane Force winds – a gust of 104 miles an hour was recorded at Hartland Coastguard Station – left a trail of damage around the North Devon coast early yesterday (Thursday). And the effect of the wind on the tide, coupled with heavy rainfall, led to further flooding in the Chanters Road district of Bideford. At Westward Ho! the story was said to be among the worst in living memory. Mountainous seas dashed over the promenade and houses in the Westbourne Terrace area, carrying massive pebbles even into Golf Links Road.
The pebble ridge was considerably

Though Bideford housewives manage a smile in adverse circumstances.

People who live on the surrounding hills, and those who meet complacently at the dry Castle, Exeter, where the Devon County Council have their meetings, in duty bound should pause to consider the plight of some scores of householders in the lower portions of Bideford Borough.

Yet again this winter, housewives of Chanters Lane have awakened to find all their ground floor rooms flooded by water, not in the normal way from outside, but from inside, forced up through the drains and sinks by the laws of nature. The houses shown