closeicon
News

Stamford Hill Charedim rescue stricken London bus from snow

The double-deck vehicle became trapped after five inches of snow fell overnight Sunday

articlemain

Stamford Hill’s Charedi community came together Monday to rescue a London bus after it was trapped by heavy snowfall.

Video footage shared online shows a group of strictly Orthodox men shoving the red double-deck vehicle as it attempted to turn on an icy road.

The number 67 bus became stuck after the capital was hit with five inches of snow overnight.

Their black coats outlined against the snow, the men can be seen running around the vehicle, placing cardboard under its wheels and shouting encouragement to one another.

Levi Shapiro, who posted the video to Twitter, said many Stamford Hill residents had been up all night helping people. 

He told the JC: “The community has been incredibly helpful looking after the vulnerable, the elderly, the lonely, all those who need extra help.

“All volunteers from every organisation in the community, from every different charity group, are all assisting and doing their bit to help out.

“So from delivering food to the elderly and vulnerable, to supporting medically and delivering medicine to those in need from pharmacies collecting them there is so much that we're doing to help out the community.”

Heavy snowfall led to chaos across London on Monday as schools, railways and tube lines were closed.

Several flights were cancelled at Heathrow and Stansted, while Gatwick was forced to delay others.  

National Rail meanwhile warned: “It is likely that you will only arrive at your destination after a significant delay.”

Drivers on some sections of the M25 motorway were trapped for hours, while nationally around 7,500 drivers are thought to have broken down in the icy conditions.

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said the cold weather snap is likely to end within a week.

“The cold conditions will remain in situ during this week. In many places, daytime temperatures will struggle to get above freezing, while overnight temperatures have the potential to drop below -10°C in rural parts of Scotland,” he told the Evening Standard.

“By the end of the weekend, there is a signal that we may see a shift in type away from the Arctic-dominated conditions with milder and wetter weather coming in from the Atlantic. 

“This transition could bring the risk of significant, but highly transient, snowfall before quickly turning to rain.”

Share via

Want more from the JC?

To continue reading, we just need a few details...

Want more from
the JC?

To continue reading, we just
need a few details...

Get the best news and views from across the Jewish world Get subscriber-only offers from our partners Subscribe to get access to our e-paper and archive