An Elvis fan is winging his way to his hero's home in Memphis after a sledge dash to meet his snow-bound taxi.Panic stations were sounded when Steven Williams realised he could miss his plane because Deiniolen in Gwynedd was cut off by heavy snow on Monday night.
After frantic phone calls to family members a plan was hatched to use children's sledges to get Mr Williams' luggage down the hill to meet the taxi.
A 25 minute walk later he met the taxi and is now on his way to America.
"He is such a huge fan and had been saving for his trip for ages," said his nephew Martin Thomas, who co-ordinated the rescue effort.
"To say it was panics when he realised the taxi could not meet him is an understatement, as he knew flights were still leaving Manchester (airport), it was just the taxi could not get to him," he added.
Because Mr Williams was going away for three weeks he had packed a large case, and could not drag or carry it through the snow, he said.
"We got the idea of putting the case on the children's sledge and pulling it down the road until the taxi could reach him," Mr Thomas added.
Cars abandoned by their drivers in the white-out then hampered the taxi journey.
"About 15 cars had been left on the road to the village and the gritting lorries could not go past, but the taxi managed to weave in and out of them," said Mr Thomas.
"After they got to the A55 however the road was clearer.
"It was a very exciting evening, and such a relief to go to bed knowing that he was on his way.
"My Nan spoke to him this morning and he was in Amsterdam waiting for his connection, and he should be in the air on his way to Memphis now," he added.
Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/north_west/7867409.stm
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Wed Feb 04, 2009 8:07 am