Chances Pitch, the stretch of the Malvern-Ledbury road immediately west of British Camp, was rated as one of the country's five worst accident blackspots 50 years ago.

"Even at the best of times it is considered dangerous in view of the sharp T-junction but the covering of ice has made it far more so," according to the Malvern Gazette. "Tons of gravel have been used by Herefordshire County Council to make it as safe as possible."