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Sheet ice causes multiple crashes Sheet ice causes multiple crashes
(about 2 hours later)
A 40-mile (64km) stretch of one of Devon and Cornwall's major roads was closed by police because sheet ice made it too dangerous to drive on.A 40-mile (64km) stretch of one of Devon and Cornwall's major roads was closed by police because sheet ice made it too dangerous to drive on.
The A30 between Okehampton and Bodmin reopened earlier after being shut in both directions when a number of accidents "littered the road". The A30 between Okehampton and Bodmin reopened earlier after being shut in both directions for several hours.
Devon and Cornwall Police said officers at the scene found it was "too slippery to even stand up" in some places. Devon and Cornwall Police said they were called to over 100 separate road accidents across both counties.
The road was gritted twice overnight, the Highways Agency said. Although major roads had been gritted, officers said in some places it was "too slippery to even stand up".
Gritting is not a magic wand Highways Agency spokesman It was too quick to even think about what to do Jen Watson, motorist
South West Ambulance Service urged drivers to take care. Jen Watson was driving to work near Okehampton when her car hit ice.
It said there had been more than 30 crashes across Devon and Cornwall, involving vehicles overturning or crashing into each other, over a three-hour period. "Suddenly it slipped from side to side, hit the central reservation and spun around before sliding up the bank and stopping," she said.
In one of the most serious a man was airlifted to hospital with fractures after a crash at Launceston at about 0700 GMT. "It was too quick to even think about what to do."
In Launceston a man was cut free from his car and airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after his car skidded into a ditch, crashing into another vehicle which had done the same.
Joe Head, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "There have been many crashes on the A30.Joe Head, from Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "There have been many crashes on the A30.
"Officers at the scene reported it was too slippery to even stand up in some places."Officers at the scene reported it was too slippery to even stand up in some places.
"Accidents have littered the road.""Accidents have littered the road."
The Highways Agency said it had gritted the A30 twice overnight.The Highways Agency said it had gritted the A30 twice overnight.
A spokesman said: "After salting this morning we had a lot of hail and rain which washed away the salt and iced over again.A spokesman said: "After salting this morning we had a lot of hail and rain which washed away the salt and iced over again.
"It is unusual but there's not a lot we can do about it. Gritting is not a magic wand.""It is unusual but there's not a lot we can do about it. Gritting is not a magic wand."
The A38, another major road connecting Devon and Cornwall, was closed at Dobwalls after four separate accidents in the same area.The A38, another major road connecting Devon and Cornwall, was closed at Dobwalls after four separate accidents in the same area.
The South West Ambulance Service urged drivers to take care and drive slowly.