Once upon a time it snowed in London. Once upon a time it snowed so much that the hills were blanketed with a crisp deep layer of the cool white stuff. Once upon a time, back in January 2010, it snowed so much that the kids didn't have to go to school, for the roads were so icy that the buses had stopped running. Once upon a time it snowed and the kids knew exactly where to go that Friday, the last day of the week, so off they went to Richmond Park – the largest in London.

With roads snowed under the kids trudged from miles around to the Star and Garter Hill in the park to take advantage, many aware of how frightfully rare snowy days like this had become. With joy on their faces they partook in fast races, the hill transformed into an Alpine run.

Armed with everything from traditional wooden sleds to brightly coloured plastic toboggans, big sheets of black PVC to even a ‘TO LET’ sign, the kids made sure to have as much fun as possible, even if it meant going downhill nearly naked or on nothing but their backsides! And up and down they went, time and time again, often colliding with one another on the way down to shrieks of raucous laughter and screams of happiness! And they continued late into the evening, since the next day the sun and the temperature were to rise again and slowly melt it all away.

And that was the day, when once upon a time, it sure snowed in London.

Friday 8th January 2010