If you have ever managed to see the Northern Lights, lucky you.

I am told they are quite something.

I was hoping to see them myself over Norway on Saturday evening but, due to illness, I wasn’t able to go.

You get a better chance to see this rare sight if the sky is fairly clear and bright – and I’m told that, on Saturday, the Northern Lights were visible, as was the Milky Way.

If you haven’t see them yet, we can still live in hope.

However, what most of us will have seen recently is the frost on the windscreens of our cars.

You may have a trick or two up your sleeve to clear it quickly. However, if your car is on the public highway, just be careful you don’t switch your engine on, with the blower at high, and then leave it to defrost whilst you run back in to finish your breakfast...

That could see you fined by the police, as it is illegal to leave a running engine unattended.

In a previous role as a press officer with The Automobile Association many years ago, I used to issue press statements with advice not to pour boiling hot water over the windscreen, as it could crack.

De-icer sprayed over the frost is a good idea, as is a good windscreen scraper – although, again, just be careful you don’t dig into the frost too deep, as you could scratch the surface of the glass.

It is also a good idea to keep your screenwash topped up, again with a solution to help de-frost the screen.

Another good idea is to spray some de-icer onto the windscreen wipers so they won’t stick to the screen overnight.

Should you find yourself in the position where your wheels are spinning due to snow or ice, another tip I was given involves placing the foot-mats under the spinning wheels to give the car some traction.

Tie the mats to the bumper so that you don’t have to stop the car (after finally getting it free) to stop to pick up your mats.

Simple but effective!