Picturesque scenes in Worthing's winter wonderland of January 2007 – the first snow the town had seen for some years

As they opened their curtains, children were thrilled to discover a white landscape as West Sussex experienced its most significant snowfall for some years. But it brought chaos as well as joy. While happy children made snowmen and threw snowballs as they crunched their way to school, frustrated commuters on the railway were left stranded on freezing platforms, with trains delayed or cancelled.

All major roads in the area remained open, as across West Sussex, the county council’s fleet of 33 gritting lorries were sent out in the early hours. West Sussex Highways also sent out teams to salt pedestrian precincts in major towns.

Picturesque scenes provided super photo opportunities for enthusiasts but alas, for those who love this sort of winter weather, the snow was short-lived and most had disappeared by the afternoon.