UK hit by worst snow for 18 years
Last Updated: Monday, 02 February 2009, 08:22 GMT- Search: UK snow chaos
worst snowfall to hit the country in 18 years caused travel chaos on the roads and railways and closed scores of schools.
All bus services in London were cancelled, as were dozens of trains, and some airport runways, including both at Heathrow, were temporarily closed.
An army of snow ploughs and gritters were working to clear roads as much of the UK was blanketed in snow.
Helen Chivers, a forecaster with the Met Office, said the last time the UK saw such widespread snowfall was in February 1991. "And we're going to get more," she said. "There are a lot of showers still coming in from the North Sea."
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Highways Agency
The forecaster added that a large area of sleet and snow showers was also moving out of France and heading to the UK. A spokesman for the Highways Agency said: "If your journey is not essential I would strongly advise you don't make it."
Commuters in the south-east faced a miserable journey to work with chaos on the roads and railways. All London bus services were withdrawn and 10 of the 11 lines on the London Underground were either completely or partly suspended.
A number of train services linking London and the south coast were also delayed or cancelled as snow drifted on to the tracks. Gatwick Airport and London City Airport were both temporarily shut on Sunday night as their runways were de-iced.
The snow also put the NHS under pressure, leading to operations being cancelled and a rise in the number of 999 calls. All non-urgent operations and admissions at Guy's and St Thomas's NHS Foundation Trust were cancelled and people were urged to stay away unless it was an emergency.
Many schools in the south east have closed due to the weather. A spokeswoman for Westminster Council said some of its schools were closed and the weather had forced the closure of more than 50 schools in Kent.
More than 50 schools in Birmingham and the Black Country were forced to close. Around 400 schools in Essex were closed, about
I LIVE IN ESSEX AS WELL.
LAST NIHT I HAD AN ACCIDENT HIT A BT POLE THEN E CLASS OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD BOTH CRAS ARE 100% WRITTEN OFF.MY PEUGEOT807 SKIDID AND HIT POLE THEN CAR.I BOUGHT THIS PEOPLE CARRIER 5 MOTHS AGO BRAND NEW NOW HAVE TO BY AGAIN WILL GO FOR SAME ONE AGAIN.
LUCKLY WE ALL MANGE TO ESCAPE FRON THIS FATEL ACCIDENT.
PLZ TAKE CARE IF U HAVE SIMMILER CONDITIONS.