Partner Article

Employee goes the extra mile

A County Durham restaurant supervisor went the extra distance when she walked for almost 15 miles to get to work after she was snowed in.

Sarah Hodgson woke up at 5am then trekked for four hours through deep snow from her home in Delves Lane, near Consett, to Oldfield’s Restaurant in Durham City.

The 28-year-old, who has not missed a day’s work in two years, said she could not bear to let down her boss or her colleagues.

Miss Hodgson said: “I’d been off work on Saturday and it snowed all day. By the evening it was lying waist deep in drifts and where the snowploughs had left it by the side of the roads.

“I couldn’t get hold of a taxi and the bus would not have got me in on time, so I decided I’d have to walk it.”

Miss Hodgson set her alarm for 5am and prepared for the journey ahead. She put on a thermal vest and three layers of clothing, then set off at 6.15am.

Miss Hodgson’s journey covered 13.6 miles along the A691.

Restaurant owner Bill Oldfield said: “I was not working on the day and only found out about it later. I was absolutely astounded. You get some people who will ring at the drop of a hat because of runny nose. You cannot wish for greater dedication.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .