IT was the 'Beast from the East', an unstoppable snow storm which blew in overnight and caused Scotland to grind to a halt.  

But while much of the country was paralysed by blizzards and freezing temperatures, a small army of 'snow angels' went out of their way to ensure their fellow Scots did not have to face the worst of the weather alone. 

Churches and businesses threw open their doors to make sure no-one had to spend a night on snow-covered streets, while others dug deep to do what they could to help. 

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And although the bite of the Beast may have been bad, Scots have faced it down with the courage and fellow-feeling for which they are renowned the world over. 

The Herald:

With emergency services stretched and public transport at a standstill, worries that hospitals would go unstaffed were eased with selfless medics walking to work in the snow, while those who could lent a hand. 

When Ross McKinnon heard of nurses unable to get to work, he swung into gear and took to the road. 

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The Glasgow businessman runs events company Amazing Days, which uses a fleet of 4x4 vehicles to organise trips around Scotland. 

He posted on social media offering to ferry medical staff to hospitals on Thursday, and was inundated with a response, and his first trip saw him deliver staff to a care ward for premature babies. 

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He told BBC Radio Scotland: "I've been picking up people at their addresses and getting them to hospital to start their shifts. 

"I came in last night and saw the news and thought 'there's maybe something we could get involved in and help some people.' 

"I popped a wee Facebook message up asking if anyone needed a lift and it kind of went a bit mental. We were inundated with messages.  

"We kind of chose to help the Hospital for Sick Children and have been dealing with someone there to co-ordinate getting people in for their shifts. Everybody's just doing what they can. It's quite heartwarming. We'll just be out for as long as it takes." 

While others struggled to make headway on the roads, Pizza-makers the Cairney family were among the few able to get to work at their business the Victor Pizza Company in Possil, Glasgow. With the ovens on, they decided to share a slice of their good fortune. 

With supplies of food affected across Scotland, a decision was taken to help feed the homeless and 150 fresh pizzas were made free-of-charge for the Glasgow City Mission, while company owner Anne Marie Cairney took to her car to deliver to shelters around the city. 

Company spokeswoman Melissa Cairney said: "We all woke up this morning and saw how terrible it was out there. When we got to work we thought how lucky we were not to be out on the streets and had a little team meeting about what we could do to help and give something back. 

"It's absolutely tragic for anyone to be sleeping rough in this weather. " 

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Good Samaritan Gary Robb, owner of the Planet Fitness gym in Clydebank, threw open his doors to people stranded by the snow and the homeless on Wednesday night. 

And he used his connections to ensure others got home and out of the freezing conditions.  

He said: "The first thing was three boys who were trapped at the train station for two and a half hours. We got them inside and gave them something warm to eat and I got ahold of a friend with a 4x4 to take them home." 

He added: "When I saw the weather I realised it was so extreme that I'd never seen anything like that before.  

"We had people turn up who'd been stranded by the snow and we gave them some hot soup and a place to put their head down for the night. And one guy who was sleeping on the streets came in – he said it was the first time he'd slept for more than two hours straight in years." 

Mr Robb also helped a couple who were locked out get a joiner in the morning to get them back into their house after they spent the night at the gym.  

He said: "We've got the space and it's warm. I couldn’t just do nothing, so I decided to use it. We're going to stay open for anyone that needs help." 

The charity of churches also swung into action, with places of worship converted into temporary shelters in many areas.  

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Ronnie Convery, spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Glasgow, said: "We have almost 100 parishes across Glasgow, each of them doing their own thing to help people. In Pollok we have the Mother Theresa nuns, the Missionaries of Charity, going door to door just checking if people need help, or food and to see that they are ok. 

"On the other side of the city the parish of the Immaculate Heart of Mary is staying open and tweeting that the kettle is always on and that anyone is welcome to come and visit.  

"There's also the Wayside Club which is open 365 days a year to give people the opportunity to come together at times like these." 

The Herald:

Markus Dunzkofer, Rector of St John's Episcopal Church Princes Street in Edinburgh, decided that the church should open its doors to the stranded and homeless on Wednesday night. 

One volunteer who helped hand out food said: "There were about ten people who came in to stay overnight and we had more drifting in and out during the day. 

"As word has gone out there have been others coming in and local businesses have donated food to help us keep going." 

The Social Bite network of cafes also opened their doors in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh to hand out hot food, provide a warm place to stay, and distribute survival bags to the homeless.  

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On the M80, with cars stuck for hours in deep snow, acts of kindness helped lift spirits. One woman caring a car full of Irn Bru offered her fellow motorists a drink, while people living nearby became heroes of the road.  

HGV driver Alex Downie from Dundee said he had been stuck on the M80 near Castlecary since 5pm on Wednesday.  

He told BBC Radio Scotland: "A few volunteer people came up and down the roads, it must have been about one o'clock this morning, a gentleman came over from his house with provisions and passed them out to people in cars." 

A Church of Scotland spokesman said: “Meadowbank Church in Edinburgh works closely with The Bethany Christian Trust and the church halls are used as a winter care shelter.

“The halls will continue to be used for this purpose until 22nd April. 

“Every night a team of volunteers from different local churches, including Meadowbank, and businesses come to cook a hot meal for the people who use the shelter. 

“Knitted hats and donated warm clothes are passed on to those who need them.”