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| Snow across England hits travel and closes schools | Snow across England hits travel and closes schools |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 2,000 schools have been closed as heavy snow caused disruption for travellers across England. | More than 2,000 schools have been closed as heavy snow caused disruption for travellers across England. |
| Flights at Heathrow, Birmingham, Bristol and Southampton airports have been affected and some coach firms have cancelled services. | Flights at Heathrow, Birmingham, Bristol and Southampton airports have been affected and some coach firms have cancelled services. |
| A gritting lorry got stuck at Warminster and an ambulance was trapped in snow at Lyneham in Wiltshire. | A gritting lorry got stuck at Warminster and an ambulance was trapped in snow at Lyneham in Wiltshire. |
| Rail services have also been affected with some operators running altered timetables. | Rail services have also been affected with some operators running altered timetables. |
| More than 400 schools were closed in Hampshire and more than 300 each in Gloucestershire and Norfolk. | More than 400 schools were closed in Hampshire and more than 300 each in Gloucestershire and Norfolk. |
| The weather caused some bookmakers to cut the odds of the UK reaching record low temperatures of below -27.2C to just 6/1 from 10/1. | The weather caused some bookmakers to cut the odds of the UK reaching record low temperatures of below -27.2C to just 6/1 from 10/1. |
| Footprint arrests | Footprint arrests |
| Birmingham Airport has suspended all flights until 14:45 GMT. | Birmingham Airport has suspended all flights until 14:45 GMT. |
| Flights were earlier cancelled at Bristol Airport because of snow, although the runway has since reopened. | |
| Southampton Airport said its runway would be closed until at least 17:00 GMT. | |
| London Heathrow's south runway was closed just before 12.30 GMT to clear ice and snow. It is due to open again in the early afternoon. | |
| Shortly after 13.30 GMT, the west London airport reported that 240 flights had been cancelled, mainly short-haul. A spokesman said: "This is primarily because of problems at other airports. | |
| "Obviously the snow is affecting the whole country and it just means there's a knock-on effect here." | "Obviously the snow is affecting the whole country and it just means there's a knock-on effect here." |
| At Gatwick, the runway remained open, with only flights to and from the Channel Islands affected. | At Gatwick, the runway remained open, with only flights to and from the Channel Islands affected. |
| Delays have also been reported to flights from Stansted. | Delays have also been reported to flights from Stansted. |
| Train passengers in central London faced delays of up to an hour to services through Blackfriars station, due to a broken down train. | |
| Sports events have also been affected, with a number of horse racing meetings and football matches cancelled because of the weather - including Friday afternoon's racing on Wolverhampton's all-weather track. | Sports events have also been affected, with a number of horse racing meetings and football matches cancelled because of the weather - including Friday afternoon's racing on Wolverhampton's all-weather track. |
| At Ascot, racing has been cancelled on Saturday, with two inches of snow on the track and conditions expected to become worse over the weekend. | At Ascot, racing has been cancelled on Saturday, with two inches of snow on the track and conditions expected to become worse over the weekend. |
| A man was arrested for tampering with a vehicle in Rubery, Worcestershire, after West Mercia Police followed footprints in the snow. | A man was arrested for tampering with a vehicle in Rubery, Worcestershire, after West Mercia Police followed footprints in the snow. |
| West Midlands Police also said footprints in the snow led them to a 17-year-old boy, suspected of throwing bricks at cars. | West Midlands Police also said footprints in the snow led them to a 17-year-old boy, suspected of throwing bricks at cars. |
| Wedding by tractor | |
| In Dudley, officers said a dog's snowy paw prints led to them making an arrest for metal theft. Officers who knew they were looking for two men with a dog found footprints and paw prints which they followed for a mile before arresting two suspects. | In Dudley, officers said a dog's snowy paw prints led to them making an arrest for metal theft. Officers who knew they were looking for two men with a dog found footprints and paw prints which they followed for a mile before arresting two suspects. |
| In Sandwell, 3,700 volunteer snow champions have been out clearing paths, armed with shovels and salt. | In Sandwell, 3,700 volunteer snow champions have been out clearing paths, armed with shovels and salt. |
| In Halesowen a gritting lorry slid on the snow, hitting a car. | |
| Eye witness Jonathan Jones said the the truck slid off on its own after the crew got out to move a parked car, "narrowly missing pedestrians". | |
| Dudley councillor Judy Foster said nobody was hurt. | |
| Hospitals are preparing for a spike in admissions this weekend as high numbers of people are expected to be injured in falls on icy ground. | Hospitals are preparing for a spike in admissions this weekend as high numbers of people are expected to be injured in falls on icy ground. |
| Mike Cheshire, medical director of NHS North West said: "We need everyone to help our A&E and 999 teams by only using them for life-threatening and urgent conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, breathing problems and serious accidents." | Mike Cheshire, medical director of NHS North West said: "We need everyone to help our A&E and 999 teams by only using them for life-threatening and urgent conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, breathing problems and serious accidents." |
| I set out in my car at 06:45 GMT but have only managed to get about three miles - it's gridlocked. | I set out in my car at 06:45 GMT but have only managed to get about three miles - it's gridlocked. |
| Cars, buses and lorries have been skidding everywhere - you feel like you're taking your life in your hands. | Cars, buses and lorries have been skidding everywhere - you feel like you're taking your life in your hands. |
| The real trouble started when a lorry trying to get up a hill blocked the road bringing everyone to a halt. | The real trouble started when a lorry trying to get up a hill blocked the road bringing everyone to a halt. |
| Residents have turned out in force armed with shovels and spades and most drivers have taken a pragmatic approach. | Residents have turned out in force armed with shovels and spades and most drivers have taken a pragmatic approach. |
| But others are visibly irritated as they battle in vain to get to their destinations. | But others are visibly irritated as they battle in vain to get to their destinations. |
| Police have now closed part of the road to buses and lorries which is giving cars a fighting chance of getting through. | Police have now closed part of the road to buses and lorries which is giving cars a fighting chance of getting through. |
| But from what I've head the rest of the city is not much better. | But from what I've head the rest of the city is not much better. |
| And one couple, from Shropshire, were set to brave the snow in a tractor to get to their wedding. | And one couple, from Shropshire, were set to brave the snow in a tractor to get to their wedding. |
| Jim Jones, 26, and Heather Morris, 24, have been together five years and chose their wedding day more than a year ago. They will wed at Chirbury Church in south-west Shropshire. | Jim Jones, 26, and Heather Morris, 24, have been together five years and chose their wedding day more than a year ago. They will wed at Chirbury Church in south-west Shropshire. |
| Mr Jones told BBC Radio Shropshire: "We've been watching it [the weather forecast] very closely for the last two weeks. | Mr Jones told BBC Radio Shropshire: "We've been watching it [the weather forecast] very closely for the last two weeks. |
| "I was nervous, but I've got other things on my mind", he said. | "I was nervous, but I've got other things on my mind", he said. |
| Empty shelves | |
| Meanwhile, the Highways Agency has advised motorists to check weather forecasts and allow extra time for their journeys. | Meanwhile, the Highways Agency has advised motorists to check weather forecasts and allow extra time for their journeys. |
| Dave Kirk, an HGV driver, ended up stuck on the A361 in Devon. | Dave Kirk, an HGV driver, ended up stuck on the A361 in Devon. |
| He said: "It's absolutely horrendous. I have been here for three hours and nothing is moving. | He said: "It's absolutely horrendous. I have been here for three hours and nothing is moving. |
| "It's snow, snow and more snow. There's not a lot we can do. We have just got to sit here and let them grit the road and get the snow ploughs out." | "It's snow, snow and more snow. There's not a lot we can do. We have just got to sit here and let them grit the road and get the snow ploughs out." |
| Some people have reported empty shelves in supermarkets. | Some people have reported empty shelves in supermarkets. |
| Matt Savage from Whatstandwell photographed an empty bread aisle at the Ripley branch of Sainsbury's, near Derby. | Matt Savage from Whatstandwell photographed an empty bread aisle at the Ripley branch of Sainsbury's, near Derby. |
| He said both the bread and vegetable aisles were empty and blamed the situation on "too many people panic buying". | He said both the bread and vegetable aisles were empty and blamed the situation on "too many people panic buying". |
| Sainsbury's said while customers were stocking up supplies they had not experienced panic buying. | Sainsbury's said while customers were stocking up supplies they had not experienced panic buying. |
| Richard Dodd of the British Retail Consortium said: "It can be the case that panicking about shortages can cause shortages but most people understand that we've got lots of experience of tough winters." | Richard Dodd of the British Retail Consortium said: "It can be the case that panicking about shortages can cause shortages but most people understand that we've got lots of experience of tough winters." |
| South West Trains is running a revised timetable on a number of routes. Affected services include London to Bournemouth and Weymouth, London to Salisbury and Portsmouth and London to Reading. | South West Trains is running a revised timetable on a number of routes. Affected services include London to Bournemouth and Weymouth, London to Salisbury and Portsmouth and London to Reading. |
Latest local news, travel and weather Find your local BBC site | Latest local news, travel and weather Find your local BBC site |
| The East Coast train company advised passengers to check before travelling. The company said it would lift ticket restrictions for all journeys on its trains which arrive in, or depart from, King's Cross station in London after 10:00 GMT. | The East Coast train company advised passengers to check before travelling. The company said it would lift ticket restrictions for all journeys on its trains which arrive in, or depart from, King's Cross station in London after 10:00 GMT. |
| East Coast urged passengers wherever possible to travel before 18:00 GMT on Friday, as heavier snowfalls were predicted after that time. | East Coast urged passengers wherever possible to travel before 18:00 GMT on Friday, as heavier snowfalls were predicted after that time. |
| Southeastern also advised passengers to make checks before setting out. A company spokeswoman said: "Given the weather forecast, there may be disruption on some routes through the day." | Southeastern also advised passengers to make checks before setting out. A company spokeswoman said: "Given the weather forecast, there may be disruption on some routes through the day." |
| In London, contingency plans for Tube services have been put in place. | In London, contingency plans for Tube services have been put in place. |
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Map Key
FogLight HeavyFrostLight HeavyPressure FrontsCold Warm OccludedRainLight Heavy ExtremeSnowLight Heavy | Map Key
FogLight HeavyFrostLight HeavyPressure FrontsCold Warm OccludedRainLight Heavy ExtremeSnowLight Heavy |
| Temperature tab only | Temperature tab only |
Temperature (°C)More details from BBC Weather | Temperature (°C)More details from BBC Weather |