A COMMUNITY-MINDED member of the Armed Forces has described how he helped stranded drivers during the recent snow which caused travel chaos in the region.

Tavistock resident Matt Johnson was been praised for his response to drivers stuck in the snow at Lydford.

Matt is part of the Devon and Cornwall 4x4 Response, a group of volunteers with 4x4 vehicles who leap into action during bad weather or other emergencies affecting the public.

Ironically, like so many other drivers, Matt was stranded in his fiancée’s car when unexpectedly heavy snowfall blocked the A386 near Lydford.

He could have stayed in the warmth of his car until help came, but instead he alerted his Devon and Cornwall 4x4 group that help was needed. The network is registered with police and the NHS and his contacts led to a gritter/snowplough being sent out to clear the route.

Matt then used his volunteer training to help those stranded, reassuring them help was coming and advising against walking to the nearest house for shelter.

Matt said: “For once I borrowed the missus’ car – my mistake – so I got stuck in the snow, not my finest hour. But my instinct is to help.

“The best I could do in the circumstances was have a word with the cars nearest and try to reassure people that the best thing they could do was wait it out until the gritter came and not to try and walk to the nearest pub or to home in case they got into trouble in the snow.

“Also, if they left their cars, they’d block the gritters getting past. In the end, even though we had to wait some time, I think I helped minimise problems.”

One driver, Nadine Lamb, waited for three hours stuck in her car.

She said: “I did seriously think about walking home to Plymouth. But this 4x4 man came along and was very reassuring, telling me to be patient because the gritter was coming. I didn’t know anything about them. They do a great job considering they’re volunteers and go out in the worst weather to help us all.”

The second localised snow dump was on Wednesday evening when Matt and his 4x4 team were sent in advance to Ashburton, in case they were needed on the notorious blackspots of Haldon Hill (A38) and Telegraph Hill (A380) where drivers came to a standstill and many cars abandoned last Wednesday.

However, as it turned out the 4x4 volunteers were not needed because the police and county highways officers were able to manage the situation themselves.

It is not just traffic issues that the 4X4 response teams deal with. Matt and his volunteers supported the emergency services attending the Keyham WWII bomb alert in Plymouth last year by ferrying evacuating residents.

They can help in situations like last week’s where motorists are stranded in snow by pushing the vehicles out of the way of the snowploughs coming through to clear them. They can also supply blankets.