YORKLEY man Nick Hanson received just rewards from grateful friends last week – two months after he dug them all out of the snow.

When people started gathering outside his house in Danby Road Nick wondered what was going on.

"I thought they were just talking about the fog, until Sharon from Two Rivers arrived and called me over. I was really surprised," he said.

He was even more chuffed when they handed him a £45 shopping voucher as a thank-you for his icebreaking efforts.

Community Support worker Sharon Woodroffe and local residents on the Two Rivers' estate had clubbed together to buy Nick his thank-you present and give him a big round of applause.

"Now I can buy a really big shovel!" he said.

Neighbour Edythe Corry said Nick had a heart of gold. "When we woke up in the morning and looked outside all the pathways had been cleared for all us older residents. We thought a little elf had been at work. We didn't know who had been so kind. But of course – it was Nick – who else!" she said.

Sharon looks out for the community and visits the older residents to make sure they are safe and comfortable.

"Nick really is a caring man. When he started clearing snow from outside his family's home and then moved on to his mother's house, it was quite natural for him to carry on clearing for all his friends and neighbours. There's a great community spirit up here," Sharon said.