THANKS to the stalwart efforts of the indefatigable Mr James Wilson, the Knutsfordians who have signed up for the twitter (cool dudes should follow The Knutsfordian @theknutsfordian), could, as The Knutsfordian did, track the progression, destruction, and downright windiness of last Wednesday’s storm.

It is at times like this that the twitter is invaluable at sharing reports of trees down, power cuts and traffic warnings.

The Knutsford Guardian ran a blog sharing the news of trees landing on sheds as it happened. Sadly a man lost his life in Lower Withington close to where a tree had fallen on the road in the gales.

Good old Tatton Park had to close its Knutsford entrance as its trees gave into the vagaries of the storm. How lucky the BeWILDerwood theme park hasn’t yet been given permission let alone been built! If it ever will be.

The Knutsfordian hears the Rose and Crown on King Street had a chimney fire which added to the general mayhem. Mr fragrance himself of POP Perfumery warned of tiles crashing down on Princess Street.

And Mr ‘I love Knutsford’ Mathew Mooney put out calls to other local hoteliers asking if they had room for those stranded in our fabulous town as the usual motorway exits were firmly shut.

As The Knutsfordian’s humble column is put to bed, to use old-fashioned newspaper jargon, there are still reports of local folk without telephone and broadband.

Yet we Knutsfordians were let off lightly compared to the people in the south west who remain underwater, soggy, smelly, and now at risk of disease from the non-too healthy floodwaters.

Our erstwhile Cheshire East Council leader, the incomprehensible Clr Michael Jones, has talked of ‘the British spirit’ when responding to the extreme storm visited on our town.

What does this mean? What exactly is the ‘British spirit’? Is it a stoic acknowledgement that bad things happen and we deal with them? When huge storms batter countries such as France, do we infer their citizens sit in the cafe drinking pastis while mayhem ensues?

No. The Knutsfordian contends that, as with countries around the world, when we get a bad storm, we accept it and get on with our lives.

Clr Jones’ ‘British spirit’ comment, although possibly well meaning, isn’t particularity useful. Yes, his employees have done well in shifting blown down trees. But isn’t that what we should expect of Cheshire East?

PS The Knutsfordian was very reassured to see he has finally received a letter from his reader, a Mr Price. At last another chap (or chapess) demanding proper consultation over the future of our delightful historic town. We need joined-up thinking, not pie-in-sky thinking. And we need it now!

PPS Knutsford Town Council has finally got round to advertising for a new town clerk. The Knutsfordian is polishing his O Level/GCSE maths and English certificates, but wonders why applicants have to be “CILCA qualified (including section 7 on General Power Competence)”?