The Chronicle was throwing the spotlight on two real life and local superheroes in the winter of 1986.
But these two caped crusaders - known as Batman and Robin by grateful High Peakers - didn’t wear masks, colourful tops and tights.
Rather, it was practical working clothes for Stan Waterhouse from Hollingworth and Ged O’Brien, who lived in Hadfield, which consisted of woolly hats, warm gloves, all-weather boots and hi-vis uniforms.
The pair manned one of Derbyshire County Council’s snow shifting and ploughing vehicles and our reporters caught up with them on a bitterly cold February day.
They had spent hours clearing drifts in blinding blizzards from roads including the Snake Pass, then weaving their way through thick freezing fog when the snow stopped falling.
“They call us Batman and Robin,” said Stan, before the tenacious twosome climbed into their Batmobile to tackle their arch-villain - Mr Freeze.
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From the Reporter files - Thursday 4th September 2025
Was housing plan a bridge to Shire?
