WHEN 77-year-old Bill Munnoch tried to clean some of the very deep snow from his garden path yesterday, he lasted just a few minutes before the cold became too much to bear.

Beating a retreat inside his home, Bill was astonished a few moments later to see a neighbour completing the task – none other than the SNP leader of Falkirk Council, Cecil Meiklejohn.

“She was there for about an hour and did a great job,” said Munnoch. “I know she is a very busy women who works hard for this community, so I said to her not to bother, but she just told me to stay warm inside and carried on clearing the snow.

“My wife and I have not been able to get out for about three days so I am very, very grateful to her. What she did was way above and beyond the call of duty.”

Meiklejohn commented: “I was delighted to help Bill who is a good community man himself.

“You have to practise what you preach and we have been asking people across our council area to help their elderly neighbours.

“We are also asking people today to help us clear our schools after this unprecedented snow which has been very challenging for us as a council and community.”