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Motorists rescued from heavy snow Motorists rescued from heavy snow
(about 3 hours later)
About 200 people have been rescued by emergency crews in Devon after spending several hours stranded in their vehicles in heavy snow.About 200 people have been rescued by emergency crews in Devon after spending several hours stranded in their vehicles in heavy snow.
Emergency crews were called to the A38 at Haldon Hill, near Exeter, at about 2100 GMT after drivers were caught out when the weather deteriorated suddenly. Rescuers were called to the A38 at Haldon Hill, near Exeter, at about 2100 GMT after weather deteriorated suddenly. A few drivers remain trapped.
A few drivers remain trapped while others have abandoned their cars. Travel chaos and school closures have hit south-west England and Wales.
More snow has fallen in other regions overnight, prompting school closures, and air and rail cancellations. Severe weather warnings are in force across the UK, with eight inches (20cm) of snow forecast in places.
The Met Office is warning that heavy snow was likely on high ground in Bath, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Plymouth, Swindon, Torbay and Wiltshire.
At least two inches (5cm) of snow is likely to fall in Essex, through Cambridgeshire and the West Midlands, as far as Dorset in the west.Some motorists abandoned their cars and walked to nearby hotels
  • Chiltern Railways, First Great Western, London Midland, National Express East Anglia, Scotrail, Stansted Express and Virgin Trains are all subject to cancellations and alterations.
  • There are no flights landing or taking off at Bristol airport and flights to and from Luton are suspended until 1200 GMT.
  • Airports operator BAA is warning travellers to allow extra time for their journeys to other airports in case of adverse weather.
  • The Highways Agency is warning against travel across much of south western England.
  • The M5 southbound in the Exeter area has been closed.
  • The main route between north and south Wales - the A470 - is closed just south of Brecon.
School closures are being reported across south western England, with 150 closed in Gloucestershire, 112 in Hereford and Worcestershire and all Bath and north east Somerset schools shut.
All schools in Buckinghamshire are closed, around 133 in Northamptonshire, 252 in Oxfordshire and at least 200 across Wales.
BBC weather forecaster Chris Fawkes said the heaviest snow was falling between Oxfordshire and Berkshire, and the Bristol channel area.
"It's really heavy at the moment but this band of wintry weather is going to move through the south-east of England but it will get lighter.
"Drifting snow could make the roads more difficult to clear."
The far north of Scotland would be affected by snow showers all day, he added.
A few miles west of the Haldon Hill incident, near Tavistock, the Army was called in to pick up about 60 people stuck on the A386.A few miles west of the Haldon Hill incident, near Tavistock, the Army was called in to pick up about 60 people stuck on the A386.
Some motorists also got into difficulty on the A380. Emergency centre
Devon and Cornwall Police said the A38 was closed shortly after 2100 GMT on Thursday, but was unlikely to open much before 0800 GMT because of the "dozens" of vehicles that had been abandoned. Cars were gradually towed away from the A38 through the night and waiting motorists were given hot drinks. Lorries were left on the road because it was too difficult to move them.
Towed awaySome motorists abandoned their cars and walked to nearby hotels The Highways Agency is continuing to clear snow from the southbound carriageway so traffic on that side can be moved.
Cars are gradually being towed away and waiting motorists are being given hot drinks. Lorries are being left on the road because it is too difficult to move them in the current conditions.
At 0400 GMT, the Highways Agency said all cars on the northbound A38 had been removed, but efforts were continuing to clear snow from the southbound carriageway so traffic on that side could be moved.
Police spokesman Alan Mobbs said every available four-wheel drive vehicle was being used to reach stranded drivers.Police spokesman Alan Mobbs said every available four-wheel drive vehicle was being used to reach stranded drivers.
"People are very cold and quite wet," he said."People are very cold and quite wet," he said.
"Anyone who has been rescued was very, very pleased to see us, and they are being taken to the reception centres.""Anyone who has been rescued was very, very pleased to see us, and they are being taken to the reception centres."
Mr Mobbs said there was up to 12 inches (30cm) of snow on the roads affected and people were being advised to stay in their cars until police reached them. Mr Mobbs said those still stranded were "a bit fed up" that they had been there so long but added: "That is because they have been the most difficult to get to."
Police have set up an emergency relief centre for those affected at Exeter Race Course, which is at the top of Haldon Hill. He said there were up to 12 inches (30cm) of snow on the roads affected.
Police set up an emergency relief centre for those affected at Exeter Race Course, which is at the top of Haldon Hill.
People have also been taken to the town hall in the nearby village of Chudleigh.People have also been taken to the town hall in the nearby village of Chudleigh.
Devon and Somerset Fire Brigade called the situation "a major incident". You just couldn't really believe it was happening. The snow was coming down so thick and fast Stranded motorist You just couldn't really believe it was happening. The snow was coming down so thick and fast Stranded motorist class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7873825.stm">Updates from around the UK
The civilian Dartmoor Rescue Group was also scrambled. Civilian Dartmoor Rescue Group teams from Ashburton and Plymouth were also scrambled.
Phil Hayter, secretary of the group, said that teams from Ashburton and Plymouth had gone to help.
One driver Nicky Micklewhite told the BBC: "We started to come up the hill. The cars just skidded all over the place."One driver Nicky Micklewhite told the BBC: "We started to come up the hill. The cars just skidded all over the place."
The M5 southbound in the Exeter area was closed to keep motorists away from the rescue area.
Gwyn Drake, from the Highways Agency, said there was nothing anyone could have done to have prevented the incident.Gwyn Drake, from the Highways Agency, said there was nothing anyone could have done to have prevented the incident.
"You can't legislate for every set of occurrences... so part of our function then is to react to what we do find occurring, and I think that reaction has been quite good in the circumstances."
Police said no-one had been seriously hurt in the incident, although a couple of people did need insulin.Police said no-one had been seriously hurt in the incident, although a couple of people did need insulin.
'Special offers' 'Thick and fast'
Receptionist Sue Rolfe abandoned her car on the A38 and walked to The Exeter Court hotel where she works.Receptionist Sue Rolfe abandoned her car on the A38 and walked to The Exeter Court hotel where she works.
She said it had filled up rapidly with stranded motorists. KEY LINKS National Rail EnquiriesBAAHighways AgencyMet OfficeShe said it had filled up rapidly with stranded motorists. KEY LINKS National Rail EnquiriesBAAHighways AgencyMet Office
"We've got everyone walking in off the street," she said. "We're doing special offers for people stuck in it." "We've got everyone walking in off the street," she said.
Councillor Colin Gibbs, who lives close to the A38, said he had been trying to help those stranded and had taken some people back to the village pub.Councillor Colin Gibbs, who lives close to the A38, said he had been trying to help those stranded and had taken some people back to the village pub.
"We've actually just been up to rescue somebody... we've got them back here to the Nobody Inn in Doddiscombe Lee now and they're getting warmed up by the fire."
One woman in the Chudleigh rest centre told the BBC: "You just couldn't really believe it was happening.One woman in the Chudleigh rest centre told the BBC: "You just couldn't really believe it was happening.
"The snow was coming down so thick and fast and it just meant that you could hardly see anything.""The snow was coming down so thick and fast and it just meant that you could hardly see anything."
Right across the UK, severe weather warnings are in place and two walkers have died in freezing conditions in the Lake District. Many travellers in Cornwall were also forced to cut short their journeys, spending the night in town halls or community centres.
Some councils say they are running out of road salt and the AA warned shortages have created a "road safety crisis".Police told motorists to stay in their cars until help arrived Mary Judson, from Bude, was among 50 others on a coach trip which had to divert to Launceston Town Hall.
By 0500 GMT, there were reports of heavy snow in Northamptonshire, with at least 61 schools forced to close. Wiltshire has also experienced significant falls overnight. "As we came into Launceston, the coach bumped into the kerb at one point and stopped.
Elsewhere, snowfall is expected from Essex through Cambridgeshire and the West Midlands as far as Dorset in the west, with at least a couple of inches expected. "Everybody's fine. We've had lovely cups of tea from a lady who had been in bed and got up to make us tea, which was wonderful."
The area to the north and west of London and along the M4 corridor is most at risk, with a forecast of eight inches (20cm) of snow. Some councils say they are running out of road salt and the AA warned shortages have created a "road safety crisis".
The Met Office warned severe snow was likely on high ground in Bath, Bristol, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Plymouth, Swindon, Torbay and Wiltshire. Authorities in Wiltshire are hoping to get 500 tonnes of salt from Devon County Council.
At about 0400 GMT, the National Rail Enquiries website detailed disruption to services on a number of rail routes on Friday.
Chiltern Railways, First Great Western, London Midland, National Express East Anglia, Scotrail, Stansted Express and Virgin Trains are all subject to cancellations and alterations.
There are no flights landing or taking off at Bristol airport and a number of Wizz Air flights into and out of Luton airport have been cancelled.
Airports operator BAA is warning travellers to allow extra time for their journeys to other airports in case of adverse weather.
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