1982: Frostbite kills Ormskirk farmers' leeks

By Gemma Jaleel on Jan 8, 09 09:00 AM

ORMSKIRK farmers were counting the cost of one of the worst winters in living memory in January 1982.

The frost destroyed 40 acres of leeks at Ray Jeffs' Halsall farm.

He said the attack of frostbite had cost him in excess of five figures and 15 staff had been made redundant.

Philip Molyneux, another Halsall farmer, said: "Without doubt this is the worst winter in living memory.

"The conditions before Christmas caused a considerable amount of damage but there were a few crops partially surviving.

"The second spate of frost would I think have put paid to all the local sprouts."
At Asmer Seeds in Newburgh the white cabbage varieties and the carrots had been hard hit.

But Harry Holland, director of plant breeding, said other types of cabbage and three varieties of sprouts had emerged all right from the frost.

The Vose family fared better in the cold winter as two lambs were born early to become the first new lambs of the year.

William Vose senior, from the family farm on Dicconson Lane, Halsall, said: "We always aim to have our lambs born early but these really are very early.

"It has happened occasionally, but very rarely."