OAPs' 15 hours on 'tinsel' trek (From Stroud News and Journal)

OAPs' 15 hours on 'tinsel' trek

WHEN a packed coach of pensioners from Cashes Green set off for their 'tinsel and turkey' weekend in Newquay nobody imagined that snow storms and long delays lay ahead.

The 38-strong party from Cashes Green Fellowship Holiday Club became caught up in a long tailback of slow-moving traffic on the A38 after two to four inches of snow fell in one hour in the Bodmin area on Friday afternoon.

Drivers across the region were held-up for hours and many were forced to abandon their vehicles.

Although the club's journey took three times longer than expected, the spirits onboard remained high.

Club member John Wright, from Paganhill, attended the trip with his wife Margaret.

"police helicopters were flying back and forth," he said.

"The snow down there was horrendous - it was taking us an hour to do a mile.

"Some people turned back but we were too far down the road for that.

The coach ground to a virtual standstill on the A38 shortly after Liskeard and then made slow progress all the way to their hotel in Newquay.

Edna Burford, who co-organised the trip with Joan Hendry, said: "We set out at 9.30am on Friday and arrived in Newquay at 12.40am the following morning.

"The police knocked on the door of the coach to say we were going to be there for a very long time as there was trouble up ahead.

"I don't think anyone was actually worried and we were all in good spirits but we just didn't know what was going on."

"We were all talking between ourselves. We had cups of tea and the driver who he put a film on for us was very good."