AndyS wrote "...and the journey back over the Pennines tonight will be a little tricky to say the least."
No need to "cross the Pennines". Quickest road route is A50, A500, M6 - not far off level all the way.
Dont know what the weatehr situation at MAN is, but EMA as a base would be easier for FR operationally, both in crew terms and in having people on the ground to deal with the arising issues (as much as FR do). And anyway, when NCL was closed for the off-piste event the other week, BA diverted an LHR-NCL aircraft back to LHR.....
BTW, as an ex Derbyshire resident, whereabouts are you roughly? I've seen close to 40cm lying in Belper before
MD