"OH, to be in England now that April's there".
The words of the 19th century poet Robert Browning did not quite ring true last week when snow returned to East Surrey.
At breakfast time on Thursday (April 4) flakes began to fall from a cold leaden sky and by lunchtime the snow had become heavier and settled on the higher parts of the district.
The hills at Reigate, Gatton, Lower Kingswood, Banstead, Caterham and Warlingham turned white as the temperature dropped to freezing point by late afternoon.
Fortunately, there were few problems on the roads caused by the wintry conditions.
The severity of the cold winds was another talking point. At Kenley Airfield, near Caterham on the Hill, the bone-chilling north-easterly wind was gusting up to 31mph with the temperature at 0c at one point on Thursday morning.