A CARE worker who selflessly set out to look after people in their homes in Glasgow has become the first victim of the horrendous snow storm which hit the country over the last two days.

Elaine McNeill, a home carer with 15 years experience, was found dead in the snow on Kippen Street in the Milton area of the city yesterday morning. It is believed that she became ill as she struggled through the atrocious weather to reach a home care appointment.

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On a day when tales of ordinary people’s heroism and care for their fellow citizens were ubiquitous, the tragic story of Elaine McNeill proved most poignant.

Huge disruption to travel amid snowfalls breaking records everywhere across the country, plus hundreds of road accidents.

More than 8000 across the UK in three days, according to the AA , meant it was almost a miracle that there were no further fatalities. Despite all the warnings – including the red warning for central Scotland – many travellers insisted on making their journeys.

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The sanity of some HGV drivers and their employers must be questioned after lorry collisions closed the M80 motorway – trapping hundreds of drivers for hours at a time.

Glasgow was particularly badly hit with the city’s airport closed and many flights cancelled.

The plight of the sick and elderly stuck at home was highlighted by the death of Elaine McNeill.

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Married with children, she was carrying out her duties as a home carer before losing contact with her manager who raised the alarm.

One colleague said: “I can’t believe it. She was young and such a lovely person. My heart goes out to her husband and kids.”

Police said they attended a report of a women who had become ill on her way to work, and are “not treating the death as suspicious.”

Her employer, Cordia, paid tribute to Elaine and assured people that they were looking into the circumstances of her death. A spokesman said: “We are shocked and saddened to hear about the death of Cordia employee, Elaine McNeill in the Milton area of Glasgow.

“Elaine worked with Cordia for 15 years as a popular and valued member of our Home Care team. We don’t have any further details about the circumstances of the incident but will be working with the authorities. Our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

Across the country there were mass school closures and university and college campuses were closed.

In Edinburgh and elsewhere, the army was drafted in to assist public sector workers struggling to cope with the conditions – they were called on to help NHS staff to get to work.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “Our emergency services across Scotland are doing a fantastic job during very difficult circumstances to keep people safe through the challenging and unprecedented weather conditions we’ve experienced this week.

“The Scottish Government’s Resilience Coordination Centre is continuing to work with local authorities and public services across Scotland and ensure they have the support they need.

“My priority is the safety of staff and patients and the measures we have put in place will ensure these are protected during challenging circumstances.

“Many areas of Scotland continue to see very difficult and dangerous conditions – that is why the amber warning will remain in place overnight and tomorrow morning. I urge people to heed the advice and avoid travel if at all possible as the weather is still potentially life-threatening.

"We can also expect continued significant disruption on the transport networks in the coming days. We are working with all the relevant agencies to co-ordinate efforts and further updates will be provided as quickly as possible.”

The weather shows no sign of relenting, with Storm Emma coming in from the South while the ‘Beast from the East’ continues to wreak havoc. According to forecasters, there may be some respite for a few hours today, but snow showers are likely to hit parts of Scotland from Friday evening through most of Saturday, before the freezing temperatures relent on Sunday, bringing with it sleet and rain.

High winds also played a part in the chaos yesterday – panels were blown off the roof of the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital attached to Glasgow Royal Infirmary, while snow drifting in the winds blocked many minor roads.

As well as traffic and travel disruption – Scotrail cancelled all services after 7pm – a host of events were called off. The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party conference in Aberdeen, the X Factor concert in Glasgow’s Hydro and the Comic Con event in Dunfermline were all cancelled.

On the M80 - where one driver spent 15 hours stuck in his car - local people came to the aid of stranded drivers, handing out cups of tea and coffee. Lorry drivers with large cabs, meanwhile, invited motorists in to share their warmth and food.