Lyme RNLI crew members join commandos to dig out trapped drivers on the A35

Two members of Lyme Regis lifeboat crew joined a rescue operation when heavy snow trapped drivers on the A35 on Friday.

Tom Crabbe, 20, and Murray Saunders, 27, were returning from a week-long training course at the RNLI’s Poole headquarters when they came across vehicles stuck on the steep section of road at the Litton Cheney turning, two miles east of Askerswell.

Tom said: “Rather than sit in the traffic jam we put on our lifeboat dry suits and helped some army commandos from Plymouth who used their truck to tow a number of vehicles up the hill.

“In places the snow was up to our waists - the drifts were three feet deep.

“The army personnel were taking a field gun from Devonport to Poole and were pleased with the extra help we gave them.

“We helped dig out lorries and cars, and it was a real team effort.

“As for us, it took about four hours for our journey from Poole to Lyme Regis.”