Snow in Camden: How was it for you?

Pictured: Honey and Lola Gould, two year old twins, take a stroll in the snow in Highgate Newtown this morning.

By CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS and DAN CARRIER

SUNNY but freezing conditions are expected to greet Camden tomorrow, the follow-up to the flurry of snow showers throughout today.
Although not as much snow fell as predicted, it was still estimated that up to two inches blanketed streets and parks.
And the Met Office issued a warning tonight about “treacherous conditions” with weather predictors expecting the snow on roads and pavements to turn to ice within hours.
The London Ambulance Service said they were called out three times to Camden yesterday for minor traffic collisions but nothing regarded as serious.
Overall, fears that the snow would wreak havoc in the borough appeared unfounded.
At the peak of the snow, around lunchtime, Camden’s four fire stations said they hadn’t been called out and reported a quiet day.
But the Royal Free wasn’t taking any risks and put up some of its frontline staff in hotels so they would be able to get in to work on time. Out patient appointments that required patients to be collected from their homes were cancelled by the hospital today.
The Whittington Hospital in Archway meanwhile reported a major surge in people coming in yesterday suffering broken bones and fractures following a rise in slips and falls.
For some, the snow offered the chance to test their mettle. The Parliament Hill Lido was open for business at seven in the morning, and around 20 regulars turned up, while both the Men's and Ladies ponds on Hampstead Heath were also doing a busy trade for brave – or foolhardy – souls wishing to take on the icy waters. Lifeguard Glyn Roberts said: “The water was around one degree at the Lido, and the snow was coming down really thick when we opened. The surface was like a slush puppy.”
Pop star Liam Gallagher was also enjoying himself. He was spotted on the Heath today building snowmen, while pupils at La Swap sixth form college took to the slopes of Parliament Hill en masse to get in some serious sledging in place of study.
Postmen had less fun. Despite turning up on time for their shifts from across London, for many their rounds from the Shepherd's Walk sorting office were delayed or cancelled.
Postie John Taylor, whose round includes such streets as Church Row, Frognal Gardens and Oak Hill, said the heights of Hampstead made the going particularly treacherous for their trolleys of post.
He said: “It was a nightmare. This is as bad as I have ever seen it. Quite a few roads had to be missed out.”
Meanwhile school was out for hundreds of schoolchildren after five schools closed, in addition to the four that shut on Tuesday due to heating problems.
Parliament Hill School in Highgate Road decided not to open for the day in advance, due to the snowy forecast. St Mary’s primary school in Quex Road, Kilburn did the same.
Acland Burghley in Tufnell Park, Maria Fidelis Convent School in Euston and Jack Taylor in Swiss Cottage braved the chilly weather in the morning but decided to close around lunchtime over fears staff and pupils wouldn’t be able to get home.
Schools across the borough urged pupils to check for updates on their website this morning about their opening status.
Maria Fidelis confirmed it would remain closed tomorrow (Thursday).
The forecasts predict a sunny outlook but the Met Office has predicted temperatures will plummet to -3 celcius and the threat of more snow showers could return by Sunday.
The Town Hall weren’t taking any chances this time around following criticism last month that the borough was like an “ice rink” in the days before Christmas.
They had 200 members of staff on standby to deal with the fall-out and planned to grit the roads and streets with up to 200 tonnes of grit and salt. Main pavements in town centres and near to busy places such as hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, schools and tube stations would be made a priority, a spokeswoman said.
“Every road in the borough has had at least one coating of grit," she added.
Motorists on side streets escaped any potential parking tickets after parking wardens stuck to the main roads, and all removals were cancelled. Refuse and recycling services were “severely disrupted”.

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