How does Storm Emma compare to the blizzard of 1978?

We've had a delve in Somerset County Gazette archive and dug out the February 17 and 24 edition of the paper from back in 1978.

Do you remember this storm hitting Somerset? What are your memories of it? Email steven.salter@nqsw.co.uk.

Here is an excerpt from the Friday, February 17 front page article.

"The blizzards that have hit Somerset this week brought up to nine inches of snow - the heaviest fall since the winter of 1962-63.

"Conditions on Wednesday night caused chaos on the roads and dozens of motorists were forced to abandon their cars.

"Three people were badly hurt when thier car left the motorway near Wellington, went over an embankment and plunged 15 feet into a rhyne below.

"Wellington and Taunton fireman made a hazardous journey to the scene to rescue the occupants of the car which was upside down in the rhyne."

The article says that 80 County Council lorries worked through the night to try and keep main roads open. And for the first time ever the ski slope at Wellington Sports Centre was actually covered in snow.

The following week's front page was written by Tessa Young.

"As the new weather crisis loomed yesterday, a mountain of sandbags was consigned to Taunton while rescue teams raced against time to open up snowbound villages. Everyone was praying there would be no heavy rain.

"Officials at Wessex Water admitted that too rapid a thaw, plus heavy rain, could spell trouble.

"The monster snowdrifts, impenetrable white walls that cut off towns and villages from the outside world were still evident."

There are some fantastic pictures of Minehead High Street, and a wonderful story of people getting together in Kingston St Mary to save a sick butcher.

Michael Ford writes: "Villagers at Kingston St Mary doggedly braved the harsh elements on Sunday afternoon in a dramatic and successful attempt to save the live of their butcher.

"Jack Berry, 57, was taken critically ill and had to be taken to hospital.

"The question was 'how?', ambulances could not get through the blocked roads and Royal Navy helicopters were grounded because of poor visibility.

"But word of mouth soon spread aroudn the village and before long 50 people - young and old- were digging a pthwaytoward Taunton using spades, shovels and buckets.

"For hours they slogged so that a Land Rover could get through."

But it could only get so far before the road became impassable and Mr Berry had to be carried a stretch of the way before he could be transferred to a police Land Rover waiting the Taunton end.

After four hours Mr Berry arrived at Musgrove and was given an emergency operation and was improving slowly as the paper went to press.

"It was a very moving episode said Dr James Davidson. Just as the transport situation wasn't looking too bright, people started streaming in to help. It was like the Jubilee and Dunkirk rolled into one."