Towns and villages across East Renfrewshire were transformed into a winter wonderland last week as ‘the Beast from the East’ bared its teeth.

Extreme weather conditions, boosted by Siberian winds, brought the area to a standstill, with widespread disruption on the roads and railways.

However, the big freeze didn’t deter readers of the Barrhead News from heading outside to have some fun in the snow.

We were inundated with great photos from our readers who grabbed their cameras and braved the cold.

There were also tales of people going above and beyond the call of duty to help others at a time when the severe weather left many stranded.

A number of local heroes, including NHS staff, marched for miles through deep snow to get to their work. Others were able to lend a hand by clearing their neighbour’s path or simply popping in to make sure they had enough supplies.