Senior home care assistant at Care South Tina Crowther and home care supervisor Lesley Marlow, both from Portland, spent the evening at the Maiden Castle House care home in the county town to ensure the storm didn’t prevent them from reaching the people they care for the following morning.

Home manager at Maiden Castle House Dawn Palmer welcomed the carers for their overnight stay.

The next morning they were both able to complete their rounds in the county town and ensure people were warm and dry in their homes, had taken their medication and had enough to eat.

Lesley said the pair had taken their decision to stay overnight at the care home as they recognised that their clients relied on the service they provided. She said: “No matter the weather the people we care for depend upon the care we provide.

“Tina and I were relieved we made the decision to stay in Dorchester as the Portland Causeway remained closed until mid-morning on Saturday.

“Our clients were very grateful for the extra effort.”

Operations manager at Care South, Lyn Couldwell, was full of praise for the dedication shown by the two staff members.

She said: “We’re very proud of all our home carers who venture out in all conditions – they simply don’t let the weather stop them.

“Winter is a challenging time of year and it’s reassuring for the people we care for to know we’ll do everything we can to ensure they’re warm and well looked after.” Care South is a registered charity and the leading provider of high quality, innovative residential and home care services across the South of England.

For more information visit care-south.co.uk