JIM Collinge used grit in more ways than one, as he battled East Lancashire's icy winters in the fifties and sixties.

And he won most of the time too, fighting his one man war to keep the roads round Belthorn open, armed with a shovel, salt and grit - both the spreading kind and the determined type.

His enemy for 17 winters had been the snow and ice which threatened to close the hillside village's road and cut the community off from the outside world.

The Telegraph took this image of the 54-year-old, who lived in James Street, Belthorn, with his trusty shovel, half a century ago, during the winter of 1968.

That particular week Jim had been out on three nights and every day, clearing snow from the roads.

He was paid by Oswaldtwistle Urban Council, who sent him his battle orders, but could, if necessary, call on reinforcements in the form of farmer Harold Nutter and his trusty tractor, from Eden Farm.

Said Jim: "I go out and grit the roads by hand and I keep going over them until I am completely satisfied.

"If it looks as though I need help I also get the farmer and his tractor out - I could the workmen from Oswaldtwistle, but they always have the town to grit first."

He added: "It's healthy job this. Well, it will either kill you or cure you."

He and his wife Rosie, had three sons, Jim junior, John and David.