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| Heavy snow causes travel misery | Heavy snow causes travel misery |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Heavy snow falls have caused travel chaos for thousands of people across large parts of England. | |
| Up to 6in (15cm) of snow fell in the Midlands leaving rush hour drivers caught in road gridlock. There were also serious rail delays. | |
| A Royal British Legion club in Worcestershire has offered overnight accommodation for stranded drivers. | |
| The snow storm is moving north-eastwards and people are being urged not to travel unless essential. | The snow storm is moving north-eastwards and people are being urged not to travel unless essential. |
| The worst affected areas were Herefordshire, Worcestershire, the West Midlands and Staffordshire, though snow also fell in parts of South Yorkshire. | |
| Office worker Sian Mulgrew, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, said: "It is almost a whiteout and has been snowing really heavily for hours. | Office worker Sian Mulgrew, from Lichfield, Staffordshire, said: "It is almost a whiteout and has been snowing really heavily for hours. |
| The snowfall has intensified across west and central parts today, but people further up the country should prepare for it to reach them Sue PowellBBC Weather Centre | The snowfall has intensified across west and central parts today, but people further up the country should prepare for it to reach them Sue PowellBBC Weather Centre |
| "Travel is a nightmare. Drivers travelling in opposite directions are stopping to talk to each other to ask about road conditions." | "Travel is a nightmare. Drivers travelling in opposite directions are stopping to talk to each other to ask about road conditions." |
| Traffic in Birmingham city centre was at a standstill for the evening. | |
| West Midlands Police said people should not drive through the city centre unless it was absolutely unavoidable | |
| The city council opened up the Council House in Victoria Square so that people who had abandoned their cars could walk there to get a cup of tea. | |
| Several roads in the Malvern area were blocked by jack-knifed lorries and a 15-mile queue was reported on the M5 near Bromsgrove in Worcestershire during the afternoon. | |
| About 250 cars were abandoned on the A4103, the main road between Hereford and Worcester. | About 250 cars were abandoned on the A4103, the main road between Hereford and Worcester. |
| And gritters were stuck in traffic near Kidderminster leaving them unable to spread salt over affected roads. | And gritters were stuck in traffic near Kidderminster leaving them unable to spread salt over affected roads. |
| West Midlands Ambulance Service said roads were so gridlocked it was hampering crews' ability to answer 999 calls. | |
| Snow causes school closures | Snow causes school closures |
| A spokesman said: "We urgently need any assistance to try and reduce the number of 999 calls for less serious types of incidents - we are still getting calls to the likes of stubbed toes and minor cuts and bruising." | |
| Birmingham International Airport suspended flights in and out for three hours so snow could be cleared from the runway, though it re-reopened later. | |
| A spokeswoman said: "We are working to get things moving as quickly as possible. Once we can get people in the air again there will be some delays." | |
| Hundreds of schools were closed for the day, while many people left work early because of fears road conditions would get worse as the day progressed. | Hundreds of schools were closed for the day, while many people left work early because of fears road conditions would get worse as the day progressed. |
| Gloucestershire ambulance crews had to use high performance vehicles to reach people in the Forest of Dean area because the road conditions were so treacherous. | Gloucestershire ambulance crews had to use high performance vehicles to reach people in the Forest of Dean area because the road conditions were so treacherous. |
| Sue Powell from the BBC Weather Centre said the snow would hit other parts of the country as Friday progressed. | Sue Powell from the BBC Weather Centre said the snow would hit other parts of the country as Friday progressed. |
| She added: "The north Midlands and the Pennines are next in line. | She added: "The north Midlands and the Pennines are next in line. |
| Sheep in the snow in County Durham | Sheep in the snow in County Durham |
| "The snowfall has intensified across west and central parts today, but people further up the country should prepare for it to reach them." | |
| Forecasters also said plunging temperatures meant surface water on roads would freeze, leading to black ice in many parts of the country. | Forecasters also said plunging temperatures meant surface water on roads would freeze, leading to black ice in many parts of the country. |
| At least one person died in a crash on the M27 in Hampshire on Thursday, although it was unclear if the weather had been a contributory factor. | At least one person died in a crash on the M27 in Hampshire on Thursday, although it was unclear if the weather had been a contributory factor. |
| A section of the M1 was shut in Derbyshire on Friday morning after a collision between a car and a van near Mansfield. | A section of the M1 was shut in Derbyshire on Friday morning after a collision between a car and a van near Mansfield. |
| More snow has been predicted for Saturday in central and northern England. | More snow has been predicted for Saturday in central and northern England. |
| Luton Town's match against Norwich City became the first of Saturday's football fixtures to be called off due to the weather, though others followed. | Luton Town's match against Norwich City became the first of Saturday's football fixtures to be called off due to the weather, though others followed. |
| Friday's horse racing meeting at Wolverhampton, which began before heavy snow started to fall again in the West Midlands, was abandoned after three races. | Friday's horse racing meeting at Wolverhampton, which began before heavy snow started to fall again in the West Midlands, was abandoned after three races. |