Chester's very own news anchor Lucy Meacock is stuck in New York following the Big Apple’s second-biggest snowstorm in its history.

But the Granada Reports presenter is making the most of her extended trip and has even helped push a couple of yellow cabs out of snow drifts.

Lucy, from Chester, who is an ex-Chronicle reporter, told us: “There are plenty of worse places to be stuck. I love New York.”

The TV presenter arrived in New York last Friday, just prior to the powerful storm, dubbed ‘Snowmageddon’ and ‘Snowzilla’, which hit the eastern USA and has so far claimed 31 lives.

She said: “On Friday night I went ice skating in Central Park and went to the Blood Brothers Broadway show. I came out of the theatre and there were a few small flakes of snow. I had no idea how dramatic it was going to be. As the night went on, the blizzard took hold and I knew it was going to be something absolutely extraordinary.

“The next day, New York, one of the most advanced cities in the world, the city that never sleeps, was brought to a complete standstill. I went out and helped push a couple of yellow cabs out of snow drifts.”

Later all traffic, except emergency vehicles, was ordered off the road with Lucy astonished to discover that anyone disobeying this command was liable to be arrested.

Despite being on holiday, Lucy is never really off duty. And she recorded a video message on her phone for ITV’s This Morning with a wintry Times Square as the backdrop.

The Granada golden girl, whose flight was among the 6,000 cancelled, should have been back in the UK this morning (Monday, January 25) ready for work tomorrow but now hopes to be back on Thursday.

Lucy has this afternoon had to switch hotels because of the unplanned extension to her stay. She praised staff who have remained in post beyond their shifts to cover for absent colleagues.

In common with thousands of others, the TV newshound has found the process of trying to contact her airline intensely frustrating as she has struggled to work out what to do.

“There should be some emergency number for travel companies and airlines that swings into action when something like this happens,” she said, but stressed: “I don’t want to sound like I’m whingeing. If I was going to be stuck anywhere, this would be it.”

One upside is that Lucy managed to catch a second Broadway show which was discounted due to the low numbers able to attend. “I’ve just decided I might as well make the most of my time here,” she added.