CARE workers from Beaconsfield have been put on ‘red alert’ to help vulnerable residents who may be trapped in their homes by snow.

Kate Hetzel, managing director of Carewatch, has made all her staff available for immediate live-in care due to the continuing severe weather conditions.

The firm’s office in Burkes Parade has been covering calls 24-hours-a-day and staff are walking to the shops to buy essential groceries for many clients across the South Bucks and Maidenhead areas.

One carer packed a bag Friday morning fearing she would not make it home, and at the request of a client's daughter stayed with the client over the weekend.

Kate added: "She still had not been home Monday morning but hopefully will have made it by now. It doesn’t stop with the carers either – my care manager took a roast dinner round to one of our live-in clients as she had no cooker...

“We want to offer families reassurance that our teams can get to their relatives and stay with them for the duration of the snow – we have even set up a special number for immediate response.

“No one should be left vulnerable in their own home. My team are on hand to move in and keep all safe in situations where extended family live too far away to get to elderly relatives.

“So much can go wrong from a safety aspect as well as day to day living. Many families just do not have the good fortune of relying on neighbours – it is just not worth taking a risk which is why our team decided to run the red alert operation. We are informing all hospitals of our plans too.”

If you or someone you know needs the company's services this week call the dedicated number 07912732405.