Winter chaos

RESIDENTS in the Londonderry area are bracing themselves for more winter misery amid warnings that the current frozen snap could last for another nine days.

Freezing temperatures and icy roads brought chaos to the North West again yesterday, after the New Year claimed its first life on the city's roads on Monday evening.

Catherine Harkin was walking close to the junction with the Glen Road when she struck by a red Mitsubishi Colt after 5.15pm.

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Mrs Harkin is well known in the city as the proprietor of In House Furniture on the Buncrana Road, which she owned along with her husband, Paul. The couple have one son.

As motorists in the city again found themselves at the mercy of the elements yesterday, with warnings issued after accidents in a number of areas on both sides of the river, rural dwellers were facing more hardship in the sub-zero conditions.

The Sentinel can reveal that one man had to drive along dangerous roads so he could be given dialysis, and then had to drive home again afterwards.

Robert Black, who lives in the Ardmore area is also recovering from a recent heart operation.

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Because taxi-drivers had been refusing to drive up the dangerous stretch of road to his home over the Christmas period, this forced him to take his jeep as far as the main road to meet them, in order to keep vital dialysis appointments at Altnagelvin hospital.

"It's been with some difficulty, getting out. I've got the jeep and gone up to meet them but I had a heart valve replaced recently and shouldn't really be doing it. But what can you do?" he asked.

Residents of other areas, including Feeney and the Kildoag Road, told the Sentinel how they felt abandoned.

Reggie Hamilton, from Kildoag Road told the Sentinel: "I've got asthma and my wife is on oxygen and people need to be able to get in and out."

The Sentinel was also told of flooding fears on Bigwood Road in the Ardmore area.