POLICE have received a helping hand from mountain rescue teams to reach people in the snow.

Officers at Thornbury Police Station have been joined on their patrols by members of the Avon and Somerset Search and Rescue Team this week.

The voluntary rescue team usually responds to missing persons and incidents in places like the Avon Gorge, however, after three inches of snow fell over Thornbury Tuesday night members were called in to help the police.

Alan George, from the search and rescue team, who has been transporting police in Thornbury, said: "Obviously because of our four wheel drive capability we’ve been able to help police with the bad weather.

"During this week we’ve had a four wheel drive based here in South Gloucestershire and another on the Mendips. We’ve also had another four on standby.

"We’ve been doing all sorts in Thornbury like taking officers to do welfare checks on people and basically just keeping the police mobile."

Thornbury remained quiet on Wednesday after the town woke to three inches of snow.

All of the town’s school’s were closed and many people listened to the advice given by the Highways Agency and stayed at home rather than trying to drive in the snowy conditions.

PC Natalie Draper, from Thornbury Police Station, said: "The main roads have become fairly clear, the council have done a very good job.

"Most people stayed at home on Wednesday, which helped. There were no major accidents but we did have about a dozen calls concerning nuisance snowball throwing."