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| 'Wet and windy' Easter forecast | 'Wet and windy' Easter forecast |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Miserable weather is likely to mar the Easter weekend, despite the passing of snow storms which have hit UK areas. | Miserable weather is likely to mar the Easter weekend, despite the passing of snow storms which have hit UK areas. |
| Some 26,000 homes in Northern Ireland and Scotland remain without power but snow is easing after trapping 107 rail travellers in the Highlands. | Some 26,000 homes in Northern Ireland and Scotland remain without power but snow is easing after trapping 107 rail travellers in the Highlands. |
| Forecasters say wind, rain and below-average temperatures lie in store. | Forecasters say wind, rain and below-average temperatures lie in store. |
| About two million people are expected to flee the UK in search of sun over Easter, with Spain the top destination, according to travel organisation Abta. | About two million people are expected to flee the UK in search of sun over Easter, with Spain the top destination, according to travel organisation Abta. |
| Meanwhile, transport analyst Trafficmaster estimates 20 million motorists will take to the roads, with Thursday evening the busiest period. | Meanwhile, transport analyst Trafficmaster estimates 20 million motorists will take to the roads, with Thursday evening the busiest period. |
| Heavy traffic has already been reported around Manchester and Birmingham, on the M25 and along the M1 outside London and in Nottinghamshire. | Heavy traffic has already been reported around Manchester and Birmingham, on the M25 and along the M1 outside London and in Nottinghamshire. |
| STRANDED TRAIN 1. Train leaves Glasgow at 1611 on Wednesday2. Train becomes stranded in a snowdrift between Carrbridge and Slochd. Relief arrives at 0130 BST on Thursday 3. Train finally arrives at Inverness at 0315 BST Snow strands passengers on train Motorists freed from trapped cars Tribute to coach crash schoolgirl | STRANDED TRAIN 1. Train leaves Glasgow at 1611 on Wednesday2. Train becomes stranded in a snowdrift between Carrbridge and Slochd. Relief arrives at 0130 BST on Thursday 3. Train finally arrives at Inverness at 0315 BST Snow strands passengers on train Motorists freed from trapped cars Tribute to coach crash schoolgirl |
| Roads remain treacherous in snow-affected areas, although clearer weather has offered some respite. | |
| Met Office weather warnings which had affected the Highlands, Grampian, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland, have been lifted. | Met Office weather warnings which had affected the Highlands, Grampian, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland, have been lifted. |
| However, BBC forecaster Louise Lear said wintry showers persisted over higher ground, including in Wales. | However, BBC forecaster Louise Lear said wintry showers persisted over higher ground, including in Wales. |
| After a chilly night, Good Friday would start "grey and wet" for many, she said. | After a chilly night, Good Friday would start "grey and wet" for many, she said. |
| "A band of rain from the South West will steadily push further north and east, with a strong southerly wind accompanying it," she said, adding that Scotland could see a fair day. | "A band of rain from the South West will steadily push further north and east, with a strong southerly wind accompanying it," she said, adding that Scotland could see a fair day. |
| Easter Sunday was likely to be the best day of a weekend characterised by April showers, added our forecaster. | Easter Sunday was likely to be the best day of a weekend characterised by April showers, added our forecaster. |
| The Highways Agency said 74 sets of road works on England's major routes would be completed by Easter, with work on a further 60 being suspended during the weekend. | The Highways Agency said 74 sets of road works on England's major routes would be completed by Easter, with work on a further 60 being suspended during the weekend. |
| However, restrictions remain at 40 locations, including a section of the M25 around Maple Cross in Hertfordshire and a stretch of the M4 near Maidenhead in Berkshire. | However, restrictions remain at 40 locations, including a section of the M25 around Maple Cross in Hertfordshire and a stretch of the M4 near Maidenhead in Berkshire. |
| Network Rail engineering work will result in longer train journey times for some passengers. | Network Rail engineering work will result in longer train journey times for some passengers. |
| Showers are expected on a mixed Easter weekend | |
| There will be reduced services on both the West and East Coast main lines, with rail-replacement buses in some areas. | There will be reduced services on both the West and East Coast main lines, with rail-replacement buses in some areas. |
| Some First Great Western and South West Trains services are also affected by works, with buses replacing trains on some routes. | Some First Great Western and South West Trains services are also affected by works, with buses replacing trains on some routes. |
| Abta, which represents UK travel agents, says a million people will fly from London airports this weekend, along with 155,000 from Scotland and 141,000 from Manchester. | Abta, which represents UK travel agents, says a million people will fly from London airports this weekend, along with 155,000 from Scotland and 141,000 from Manchester. |
| Tenerife, Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, Florida and the Dominican Republic are among the top destinations for holidaymakers. | Tenerife, Sharm el Sheikh in Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey, Florida and the Dominican Republic are among the top destinations for holidaymakers. |
| 'Fed up' | 'Fed up' |
| Some 23,000 people remain without power in Northern Ireland, along with more than 3,000 in Scotland, after snow and ice on cables brought down power lines. Up to 100,000 people have been affected this week. | Some 23,000 people remain without power in Northern Ireland, along with more than 3,000 in Scotland, after snow and ice on cables brought down power lines. Up to 100,000 people have been affected this week. |
| Blizzard conditions continued into Thursday morning, when 107 people were stuck aboard Wednesday's 1611 BST Glasgow to Inverness train for over seven hours. | Blizzard conditions continued into Thursday morning, when 107 people were stuck aboard Wednesday's 1611 BST Glasgow to Inverness train for over seven hours. |
| It became stranded north of Aviemore between Carrbridge and Slochd, 20 miles south of Inverness, on one of the UK's highest railway routes. | It became stranded north of Aviemore between Carrbridge and Slochd, 20 miles south of Inverness, on one of the UK's highest railway routes. |
| The passengers eventually reached Inverness at about 0315 BST. | The passengers eventually reached Inverness at about 0315 BST. |
| A First Scotrail spokesman said passengers were "tired and fed up" but that "no-one is in distress". | A First Scotrail spokesman said passengers were "tired and fed up" but that "no-one is in distress". |
| 'Greatly missed' | 'Greatly missed' |
| One passenger told BBC News: "We ploughed into this great big snowdrift and stopped. We couldn't go forwards and we found we couldn't go backwards. | One passenger told BBC News: "We ploughed into this great big snowdrift and stopped. We couldn't go forwards and we found we couldn't go backwards. |
| "So they sent out another train but that got stuck too. So eventually they had to dig a kind of trench and bring in another train and get us out." | "So they sent out another train but that got stuck too. So eventually they had to dig a kind of trench and bring in another train and get us out." |
| Natasha Paton died in a coach crash near Biggar in South Lanarkshire | Natasha Paton died in a coach crash near Biggar in South Lanarkshire |
| On Wednesday, Natasha Paton, 17, from Cleghorn, was killed when a school coach crashed on the A73 at Wiston, South Lanarkshire. | On Wednesday, Natasha Paton, 17, from Cleghorn, was killed when a school coach crashed on the A73 at Wiston, South Lanarkshire. |
| Natasha's parents issued a statement in which they said they were devastated at the loss of their "beloved daughter", adding that she would "be greatly missed by all who knew her". | Natasha's parents issued a statement in which they said they were devastated at the loss of their "beloved daughter", adding that she would "be greatly missed by all who knew her". |
| The crash prompted Prime Minister Gordon Brown to speak of the need to ensure school buses are safe. | The crash prompted Prime Minister Gordon Brown to speak of the need to ensure school buses are safe. |
| "It's very important that we look at everything that ought to be done to make sure that our buses are as safe as possible for young people," he told Radio Clyde. | "It's very important that we look at everything that ought to be done to make sure that our buses are as safe as possible for young people," he told Radio Clyde. |
| The school coach had been carrying 39 students from Lanark Grammar School, five members of staff and a driver when it left the road and finished on its side just after 0600 BST. | The school coach had been carrying 39 students from Lanark Grammar School, five members of staff and a driver when it left the road and finished on its side just after 0600 BST. |
| NHS Lanarkshire said 44 people in total had received hospital treatment following the crash. | NHS Lanarkshire said 44 people in total had received hospital treatment following the crash. |
| For the latest travel news check our interactive map | For the latest travel news check our interactive map |
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| For more travel information please visit the BBC Travel website. | For more travel information please visit the BBC Travel website. |
| Were you on board the stranded train? Are you affected by the power cuts and severe weather conditions? If you have any information or pictures you would like to share with us, please use the form below. | Were you on board the stranded train? Are you affected by the power cuts and severe weather conditions? If you have any information or pictures you would like to share with us, please use the form below. |
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