Britain 'faces complete disaster' during the heaviest snow in living memory

London had only six days coal left as 10ft snow drifts and persistant frosts and blizzards continued to paralise the country during one of Britain's harshest winters in living memory. In this unique film archive of 1947, Emanuel Shinwell, Minister for Power, warns 'the country faces complete disaster.' It couldn't have come at a worse time for war weary Britain, still on its knees from fighting the Nazis. By February 1947 permanent day time blackouts were introduced and railways came to a halt. Main roads were blocked, miners couldn’t get to work and factories became silent. Over 2 million were unemployed.

Clip broadcast on 'Nationwide' 19 Dec 1973 BBC1

Image: Women delivering milk by sleigh - Getty