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| Accidents on 'treacherous' roads | Accidents on 'treacherous' roads |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Icy roads across much of Britain have caused scores of accidents and left dozens of people injured. | Icy roads across much of Britain have caused scores of accidents and left dozens of people injured. |
| More than 15 people were hurt, two seriously, in two bus crashes in Gloucestershire. One accident involved 29 Royal Marines bound for Afghanistan. | |
| Ambulance officials said roads were "treacherously icy". Many councils are awaiting fresh deliveries of road salt. | |
| Meanwhile, more than 40 flood warnings remain in place, mostly for southern and eastern England. | |
| Forecasters say the worst of the weather is over for now, but torrential rain and heavy snow earlier led to flooding in parts of southern Britain on Tuesday. | Forecasters say the worst of the weather is over for now, but torrential rain and heavy snow earlier led to flooding in parts of southern Britain on Tuesday. |
| Parts of south-west England saw almost a month's rainfall in just 24 hours. | Parts of south-west England saw almost a month's rainfall in just 24 hours. |
| Marines hurt | Marines hurt |
| Reports of accidents due to ice have come in from counties across England, including Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. | Reports of accidents due to ice have come in from counties across England, including Wiltshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire. |
| The incidents in Gloucestershire on Wednesday morning occurred within a few miles of each other. | |
| Clearly these are both very serious incidents with multiple patients injured Great Western Ambulance Service spokesman Marines injured as coach crashes | |
| At 0522 GMT, a coach crashed into a tree after skidding on ice on the A40 at Puesdown, south east of Cheltenham. | At 0522 GMT, a coach crashed into a tree after skidding on ice on the A40 at Puesdown, south east of Cheltenham. |
| It was carrying 29 Royal Marines from 42 Commando in Plymouth to RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, from where they were due to fly to Afghanistan. | |
| The 39-year-old civilian driver, who was cut free after nearly two hours, is thought to have serious head injuries. | The 39-year-old civilian driver, who was cut free after nearly two hours, is thought to have serious head injuries. |
| A Ministry of Defence spokesman said six marines were also hurt. Five are due to be discharged later and the sixth is currently being examined in hospital. The families of those involved have been informed. | A Ministry of Defence spokesman said six marines were also hurt. Five are due to be discharged later and the sixth is currently being examined in hospital. The families of those involved have been informed. |
| A Gloucestershire County Council spokeswoman confirmed that the road had been gritted twice overnight. | A Gloucestershire County Council spokeswoman confirmed that the road had been gritted twice overnight. |
| Earlier, at about 0445 GMT, a minibus with 14 people on board crashed at Highnam, near the A40 west of Gloucester. | Earlier, at about 0445 GMT, a minibus with 14 people on board crashed at Highnam, near the A40 west of Gloucester. |
| Twelve people were hurt, one seriously, and all were taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. | Twelve people were hurt, one seriously, and all were taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. |
| Serious incidents | Serious incidents |
| An ambulance spokesman said a number of paramedic crews had been sent from across the Gloucestershire and Avon region. | An ambulance spokesman said a number of paramedic crews had been sent from across the Gloucestershire and Avon region. |
| "Clearly these are both very serious incidents with multiple patients injured," he said. | "Clearly these are both very serious incidents with multiple patients injured," he said. |
| Gloucestershire Police received reports of more than 60 accidents between 2200 GMT on Tuesday and 0900 on Wednesday due to icy conditions. | |
| Further north, a West Yorkshire police spokesman said black ice was causing difficulties and minor accidents on many roads, including motorways. | Further north, a West Yorkshire police spokesman said black ice was causing difficulties and minor accidents on many roads, including motorways. |
| A caller to BBC News said vehicles were parked on the hard shoulder of the M621 after sliding into the central reservation barrier. | A caller to BBC News said vehicles were parked on the hard shoulder of the M621 after sliding into the central reservation barrier. |
| In Wiltshire, police say they have received 40 reports of accidents since 0600 GMT, while Warwickshire saw 24 crashes before 0900 GMT. | In Wiltshire, police say they have received 40 reports of accidents since 0600 GMT, while Warwickshire saw 24 crashes before 0900 GMT. |
| Royal Marines injured in bus crash | Royal Marines injured in bus crash |
| The county's highways manager said roads were gritted on Tuesday, but flood waters washed much of the salt away. | |
| In Bedfordshire, police have closed a number of roads and the council has cancelled several school bus services because of icy conditions. | In Bedfordshire, police have closed a number of roads and the council has cancelled several school bus services because of icy conditions. |
| West Midlands Ambulance Service is warning drivers to take extra care after a spate of accidents. | West Midlands Ambulance Service is warning drivers to take extra care after a spate of accidents. |
| In North Yorkshire, a woman hurt in a crash on an icy road near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, has died. | In North Yorkshire, a woman hurt in a crash on an icy road near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, has died. |
| BBC weather forecaster Rob McElwee said the sun was out across much of the UK but another freezing night would bring widespread black ice on Thursday morning. | |
| Rivers overflow | Rivers overflow |
| Elsewhere on Wednesday a clean-up operation was under way following Tuesday's floods. | Elsewhere on Wednesday a clean-up operation was under way following Tuesday's floods. |
| There are about 170 flood alerts of varying degrees still in place and water is still standing in some areas, including around the flooded River Severn in Gloucestershire. | |
| Paddy enjoys the floods around the River Severn in Gloucestershire | |
| Several rivers burst their banks including the River Colne in Hertfordshire, where some areas were under four feet of water, and the Cam in West Camel, Somerset. | Several rivers burst their banks including the River Colne in Hertfordshire, where some areas were under four feet of water, and the Cam in West Camel, Somerset. |
| The Severn Bore - a tidal wave which flows along the narrow Severn Estuary - reached "three star" level earlier on Wednesday and flooded surrounding countryside, according to the Environment Agency. | The Severn Bore - a tidal wave which flows along the narrow Severn Estuary - reached "three star" level earlier on Wednesday and flooded surrounding countryside, according to the Environment Agency. |
| Local authorities warned spectators to take care on Thursday, when a more powerful four-star bore is predicted. | Local authorities warned spectators to take care on Thursday, when a more powerful four-star bore is predicted. |
| Other counties badly affected included Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire where up to 3,000 homes had their electricity cut off, largely because of the weather. | Other counties badly affected included Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire where up to 3,000 homes had their electricity cut off, largely because of the weather. |
| Shoreham, in West Sussex, saw 1.6in (4.1cm) of rain in one day - the average monthly rainfall in Sussex is 2.2in (5.7cm). />Have you been affected by icy roads in your area? Are you experiencing difficulty travelling by road? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | |
Have you been affected by icy roads in your area? Are you experiencing difficulty travelling by road? Send us your comments and experiences using the form below. | |
| In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. | In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. |