Whenever East Lancashire gets a spell of bad winter weather, those old enough to remember always say something like ‘oh, but it’s nowhere near as bad as 1963’.

Lancashire Telegraph: Residents in Parsonage Road, Wilpshire were forced to rely on standpipes during the freeze of 1963

In February that year, much of East Lancashire ground to a halt following some dramatic snowfalls. Roads were blocked, pavements became dangerous and freezing temperatures meant that everyone had to wait for the thaw.

It was so cold that many domestic water pipes froze solid and standpipes were needed on many street corners.

Lancashire Telegraph: Tricky road conditions meant there was a spate of minor accidents in 1963

There were even fears of food shortages as deliveries struggled to get through and corner shops were doing a roaring trade in tinned soups.

On the roads, many cars were left abandoned particularly on higher ground as snow was blown into drifts often eight feet deep,

Schools were forced to close giving youngsters an unexpected holiday and they certainly made the most of the winter conditions, getting out their sledges and having snowball fights.

Do you remember the Big Freeze of 63? Email bygones@nqnw.co.uk or leave a comment.