A LANEAST driving instructor used his skills — and vehicle — for another purpose last week, when he went to the rescue of many who found themselves stuck or cut-off due to the snow.

Colin Mullis, 34, returned home from a driving lesson at around 3pm on Thursday. Knowing the heavy snow was expected, he posted a message on Facebook group ‘Launceston Notice Board’, asking people if they needed supplies or help, as he has a 4x4 vehicle and would be willing to help for the following three hours.

He was also joined by others willing to help as the snow increased and conditioned worsened, including Jay Haxby and Rufus Reed.

But those three hours turned into longer, with Colin eventually finishing at around midnight on Friday.

He was contacted by numerous people needing food, top-ups for their electricity key, supplies and a new mother who needed baby milk.

He said: “It just got busier and busier into the night. I’ve driven in snow before, and I’ve done quite a lot of off-roading. I was having a bit of fun while helping people.”

Colin returned home at around midnight on Thursday, expecting to be back out on the roads at 7am the following morning, but at 3.30am he received a telephone call from someone who had been driving along the A395 and had gone off the road and into a ditch in 2ft snow drifts close to Hallworthy.

On the way back to Launceston, someone else needed help.

Colin and Jay, in the Suzuki Vitara 4x4 nicknamed ‘Big Green’, also drove to the petrol station at Okehampton, where he said the conditions were terrible, adding: “We rescued loads of cars that were stuck at the petrol station. We just went where people wanted us.”

They helped rescue an ambulance, a police car and also an ex-pupil of Colin’s.

In Altarnun, he helped the owner of the tea rooms deliver the meals on wheels to her clients. He said there was one silver lining — she provided him with pasties!

They reached Okehampton, Egloskerry, Hallwill Junction, Camelford, towards Bodmin, Tavistock, Liskeard, Davidstow and Altarnun.

“It was quite a way, we did just over 450 miles. It’s surprising how far we covered.”

Colin also went to Tesco and bought some goods to make up hamper bags, including tea coffee, bread and butter, which he delivered to people he knew would not be able to get out.

He believes he spent close to £500 over the few days on fuel and supplies.

“I didn’t expect it to cost as much in fuel as it did. It’s only money at the end of the day. There were lots of people that went out in their vehicles as well. I don’t know how much they spent.”

Many people were quick to heap praise onto Colin for the good work he was doing, and someone donated £45 towards the cost of the fuel. Colin also needed new wiper blades after his froze during the night and someone paid for them.

A few negative comments were also posted, claiming that Colin was just doing it for the attention by posting it on social media, but he hit back saying: “If we didn’t put it on Facebook people wouldn’t know we were out there.”

However, the people that Colin did reach were delighted to see him.

“They were all grateful and all thankful for it. People that lived out in the middle of nowhere were surprised to see a vehicle. But it wasn’t just me. There were other 4x4s out there, others were checking on people too. A lot of people just think about themselves, it’s kind of sad really. I was just doing what I could. It was not special, it was just me being me.”