DEVON'S emergency services have been praised for their 'remarkable' effort after up to 2ft of snow fell on parts of south Devon on Thursday night last week.

More than 200 motorists had to be rescued after becoming stranded in their vehicles at Haldon Hill on the A38. The A380 at Telegraph Hill was also impassable.

Police, fire and rescue, ambulance services, Dartmoor Search and Rescue, Devon County Council and St John Ambulance worked through the night. Exeter racecourse and Chudleigh Town Hall opened as reception centres for stranded motorists.

Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross praised emergency services for their quick response in rescuing people from severe weather conditions on Haldon Hill.

'The combination of rain then snow meant the county highways could not keep the road clear. I will be talking to the county council as to exactly what was done and whether they need further resources to see if this could have reasonably been kept open.'

Ken Wenman, chief executive of the South Western Ambulance Service, said: 'The overnight rescue effort in Devon combined emergency services and countless other agencies and businesses. Everyone did a remarkable job in maintaining the health and safety of those trapped and it is amazing that no-one was seriously injured.'

County Cllr Jerry Brook, who represents Chudlegh, singled out townspeople for particular praise after town councillors and volunteers looked after more than 200 stranded travellers.

'Local traders opened up specially and many ordinary residents were quick to come forward with offers to share their homes or do whatever they could to help.

'All in all, the town can take great credit from the way it responded,' he said.

Extreme weather conditions continued last week, with the Highways Agency asking people to stay at home on Friday. On Monday the Environment Agency issued 38 flood warnings as heavy rain, gusting winds and snow hit the south west, making conditions hazardous particularly on high ground.

Last Thursday, among those trapped in the Blizzard conditions on Haldon Hill, were Sharon and Paul Venning, from Bishopsteignton. They were stuck for four hours.`

Mrs Venning, who is eight-and-a-half months pregnant, said: 'The scariest part was when cars were skidding all over the motorway.

'Someone from the emergency services saw I was heavily pregnant and got me out of my car into someone else's and we were towed up the hill to the racecourse.'

Their own car was later towed up the hill and police escorted Mr and Mrs Venning along the closed section of the A38. They got home at 4.30am.

'It was going to be our last night out before the baby arrived. it's one we will always remember,' she said.

More than 200 people spent the night at Chudleigh Town Hall where hot drinks, food, sleeping bags, blankets and medical treatment were provided.

Tina McGahey, from Clyst St Mary, was returning from the theatre when she got stuck in her car for three-and-a-half hours.

'We got here [Chudleigh Town Hall] at about 2.30am. The volunteers have been amazing, truly amazing. We had sausage baps this morning. I can't speak highly enough of how well they have been organised and how welcome we have been made here.'

Chudleigh Town Council chairman Cllr Douglas Hellier-Laing said it was the first time the emergency plan, in which Chudleigh, is designated as a reception centre had been put in action.

'I arrived at 10.15pm and we started getting everything ready. It's been hectic, real wartime spirit. The people themselves have been brilliant, not one moan or groan,' he said.

Gritter driver Paul Down, from Barnstaple, spent the night at the centre after his 7.5 tonne gritter got stuck on the A38. He had been gritting car parks in Plymouth.

'I got as far as the Chudleigh junction and was diverted off at 3.30am. It was quite treacherous, quite deep, very slippery. An artic got stuck as it was getting off the slip road and the police asked if we could chuck some grit down to help. We managed to get it moving.'

David Phelps, from Hemyock, was returning from Plymouth after taking his wife, two daughters, father-in-law and mother-in-law, who are in their 90s, to see a Riverdance show.

'We left Plymouth shortly after 10pm in the rain. It got progressively worse and turned into heavy snow. When we got to Haldon Hill everyone came to a halt and sat for about one hour.'

On Friday morning the police put out appeals for motorists to reclaim abandoned vehicles. Fallen trees caused further problems. By noon one lane in both directions was open on the A380 and A38.

Two to four inches of snow had been forecast. Devon County Council put out a warning to motorists on Thursday afternoon and major roads were double-gritted but the sheer quantity and speed at which conditions deteriorated took the authorities by surprise.

Supt Tim Swarbrick, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: 'The weather caught everyone unawares and the sudden, heavy snowfall had not been predicted.'

Across Devon around 150 schools were closed on Friday. In Teignbridge, more than a dozen closed its doors.

Widecombe-in-the-Moor residents cut off by the snow have relied on park rangers and friends to bring them supplies.

Brenda Boston, of Lady Mary Terrace, a part-time nurse at Torbay Hospital, said she had been unable to get to work for ten days and that food supplies for the family and their animals had been running low.

'We stock up monthly and were at the wrong end of the month. We've had a few deliveries from the national park ranger. He took three-quarters-of-an-hour to get here from Haytor and brought us bread, milk and newspapers.

'We have a lady who needed chemotherapy treatment and couldn't get to the hospital. Her partner took her into Ashburton Hospital by tractor and she was treated there. The snow drifts were higher than the tractor.'

Local children enjoyed an unexpected break – Widecombe Primary was closed for nearly a week.

Mrs Boston said that at the weekend there was a report that a snow plough was stuck at Haytor because of parked four-wheel drive vehicles belonging to people who had come sledging.

'I can't blame them but when you're stuck and can't get out, it is quite frustrating,' she said.

The family keep 16 sheep, five cows, a calf and a pony half-a-mile away at Southcombe Farm. Mrs Boston said getting through to feed them was a struggle.

'On Friday it was a blizzard, it was really hard work. I couldn't believe it,' she said.