Snow deluge couldn't stop Liam's milk run

But Liam Bell arguably took the job “beyond the call of duty” in his determination to make sure customers didn’t have to do without a household essential in their hour of need.

Liam (20) is an IT student at Forth Valley College, but still works part time on a milk run he’s operated for years.

Queen Victoria was on the throne when the family first began its involvement with milk supply, and the big freeze - followed by a brief supply crisis for supermarkets - shows the service is as relevant and necessary as ever.

These days the supply comes from John Pollock amd Sons’ Bonnyhill Farm, and the Bell family - as ever - play their part in distributing its most popular product.

Liam, helped by dad Kenny and brother Craig, set off on a round that would usually take him an hour and returned to base fully five hours later - leaving behind him dozens of satisfied customers who would otherwise have had to do without.

Proud mum Carol said: “In some cases he was selling to people who weren’t regular customers, because he didn’t want anyone to go without.

“It meant a lot to people that something most people take for granted in normal weather was still available, despite everything.

“Of course it meant digging the van out, and a lot of pushing - but for a lot of people all that effort was worth it”.

While Liam’s milk run was making its way around Bonnybridge many customers in supermarkets were looking at bare shelves - although Morrisons in Falkirk may have been among the first to reconnect supply.

For Carol, though, it’s the personal touch (and the determination to help people out) that counts most.

She said: “The Bell family have been delivering milk for generations with my granpa, dad and uncle serving local communities.

“Liam is my wee hero and I am so proud of him”.