Marilyn Hoare’s husband Garry, 55 and a local taxi driver, had sadly died from cancer and it was the family’s wish that he should return home before the funeral. The family would leave their home in Hermitage Road, on the Archway Estate, as a complete family, together for the last time, to go the church.

Snow and ice threatened to thwart Marilyn’s plans; she said: “We were snowed in. I had a call from Simon at Pillars, that we’d have to meet him at the top of Archway Drive and my husband would not be able to come home. It was impossible for the hearse and limo to get to us.

“On hearing this, my son Jamie, put an appeal on Facebook, asking if anyone had the means to get rid of the snow in our road to help us.

“Within less that 30 minutes, two lads from RGC, Michael Prettyjohns and Matt Lye, arrived with a lorry load of grit and shovels. Together with my three sons and our neighbours, they cleared the road and everything went as planned.

“After the funeral, I learnt that the young rugby lads my husband used to train, had helped push the hearse which was slipping on ice outside the church.”

For many years, Garry had been a keen member of Dartmouth Rugby Club and had trained the under 16s. He played darts for the Seale Arms which three weeks earlier had organised a 12 hour darts marathon to raise funds for Rowcroft and for the family. Garry died just days before the event was staged.

Mick Chambers, landlord of the Seale Arms said:”Garry was a personal friend. He led our darts team to three championships. We’ll miss him.”

Simon Webb, funeral director at Pillars, said: “I know the family so well. Garry was only 55. He was very popular, a member of a big family in the town and, as a taxi driver, well-known.

“Leaving behind Marilyn and his three sons touched everyone. The day of the funeral, Paul Smith who works with me and I, had to get grit onto Anzac Street where the church is and where we’re based, as the council only dealt with the major roads.

“With the weather closing in, we drove up to Hermitage Road and saw ten people or more shovelling snow to allow us to get the hearse to the house and pick up the family. Quite remarkable; had these friends not done it we wouldn’t have been able to take Garry home and the family leave their house together, for the last time.

“The whole thing is a testament to the family and friends.”

Marilyn added: “The day of the funeral, Wednesday, February 28, was also my birthday. I’ve looked at all the stories on Facebook about people helping others in the snow and I thought it’s nice that the town pulled together for Garry.”