ABOUT this time last year I wrote to you regarding the gritting of roads (or lack of) in the Haxby and Huntington areas. At the time I was extremely irate that North Lane, Huntington, hadn't been touched by a gritting truck.

At 8am on Monday morning, every road from my house in Huntington to my son's school in Haxby - including North Lane and the ringroad - was covered in snow and ice. No surprises there.

I took one look at the traffic trying to get back onto the York ring road from The Village, Haxby, and going nowhere and thought I'd chance Towthorpe Road and Towthorpe Moor Lane to get on the A64.

This is when it gets surreal.

Both these country roads were virtually clear of traffic (possibly because only a complete nutter would risk country lanes in weather like that). But they were both virtually clear of snow as well.

They'd clearly been... er... cleared.

I had a fantastic run all the way to the A64, and a smooth run on the A64 - until I got to the roundabout. From there down to Bilbrough, the journey was absolutely atrocious.

I would dearly, dearly love to believe that Towthorpe and Strensall has its own microclimate. But I just have a sneaking suspicion that a gritting lorry was directed to keep the road clear for any passing golfers, Army 4x4s, tanks, and people desperate to complete a tip run at 8am on a Monday morning.

Anyone got a better theory?

Tim Staddon,

North Moor Estate,

Huntington,

York.

Updated: 10:34 Wednesday, February 23, 2005