VIVID memories of the 1979 winter have been brought back to life by Sinderhope’s Robert Phillipson.

The sheep farmer captured dramatic footage on cine film of the famous storms of 39 years ago, when Allen Valleys residents battled huge snow drifts for two months.

The footage shows Robert, his wife Pat, son Kevin, who was aged four at the time, and daughter Lisa, when she was a baby.

“Compared with what we’ve had in the past, last week was fairly standard for the Allen Valleys,” said Robert. “Remote residents, certainly of my generation, have always kept sufficient food supplies to keep us going for three weeks during the winter, because there’s always a chance that this could happen.

“At one point in 1979 it snowed heavily and continuously for three days. This time we’ve had some heavy showers, but it wasn’t anything like that.”

Robert remembers walking for two hours through the snow, from Sinderhope to Allendale, to get baby milk powder.

He explained: “It’s about three miles, but you could get through. There were even four to five foot snow drifts in Allendale.

“I had a pint and a packet of crisps in the pub, and then brought back supplies for neighbours from the village.”

Robert’s old footage was recorded digitally as part of a Millennium archive project by Alan Smith, of Allenheads Contemporary Arts.

“I’ve always enjoyed filming things,” said Robert. “This was a little piece of my family history, and also Allen Valleys history. I can try and describe how bad the snow was in 1979, but really you have to see the footage to appreciate it.”