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Cold weather causes travel chaos Cold weather causes travel chaos
(40 minutes later)
Thousands of people face further disruption to their Christmas travel plans as cold weather continues to grip much of the country.Thousands of people face further disruption to their Christmas travel plans as cold weather continues to grip much of the country.
BA said all short-haul flights out of Heathrow were cancelled but it aimed to run as many long-haul ones as possible.BA said all short-haul flights out of Heathrow were cancelled but it aimed to run as many long-haul ones as possible.
BAA has apologised to people who spent the night in a terminal, but Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said aviation was a "safety-first business".BAA has apologised to people who spent the night in a terminal, but Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said aviation was a "safety-first business".
A man has died in hospital after falling through ice on a lake in Essex. In Essex, the conditions led to a death when a man fell through ice on a lake.
The unnamed man, in his 30s, was dragged out of the lake at Rochford, near Southend, on Sunday afternoon but died later. The unnamed man, in his 30s, was dragged out of the lake at Rochford, near Southend, on Sunday afternoon but died later in hospital.
Heathrow airport officials told passengers with flights scheduled to depart from terminals 1 or 3 not to travel to the airport as extreme congestion meant no more passengers were being accepted into the buildings.
At Gatwick, 600 flights were taking off and landing at the airport on Monday, but several hundred people remained stuck at the airport.
Cardiff Airport will be shut until at least 1600 GMT.Cardiff Airport will be shut until at least 1600 GMT.
A Gatwick spokesman said 600 flights were taking off and landing at the airport on Monday, but several hundred people remained stuck at the airport.
He said helping passengers on the ground was a priority.
Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Birmingham, Luton, London City, Bristol and Southampton airports all said flights would be subject to delays and cancellations.Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Birmingham, Luton, London City, Bristol and Southampton airports all said flights would be subject to delays and cancellations.
Exeter has closed a runway until at least 1900 GMT. Flybe has cancelled all departures from there on Monday.Exeter has closed a runway until at least 1900 GMT. Flybe has cancelled all departures from there on Monday.
Stansted is said to be operating as normal.Stansted is said to be operating as normal.
Mr Hammond is to give a statement to MPs in the House of Commons later on the impact of the weather on the transport network. There was disruption to rail travel on Monday as well as people returned to work after the weekend or tried to finish their Christmas shopping.
Some London-Leeds and London-York services were cancelled on the East Coast Main Line.
People at St Pancras station queued for five hours for Eurostar services to the continent, which was also suffering from severe weather. The station was so busy, hundreds of people had to wait outside, lined up around the terminal building.
Meanwhile, the Met Office has warned of more snow and ice in many parts of the country.Meanwhile, the Met Office has warned of more snow and ice in many parts of the country.
BBC weather forecaster John Hammond said Devon and Cornwall bore the brunt of the snow on Monday morning, with 20cm falling in parts. Wales saw between 2cm and 5cm.BBC weather forecaster John Hammond said Devon and Cornwall bore the brunt of the snow on Monday morning, with 20cm falling in parts. Wales saw between 2cm and 5cm.
Through the afternoon and evening, more snow is expected to cover the rest of southern England with Surrey, Sussex and Kent likely to see the worst of it.Through the afternoon and evening, more snow is expected to cover the rest of southern England with Surrey, Sussex and Kent likely to see the worst of it.
Sub-zero temperatures will persist across almost the whole country.Sub-zero temperatures will persist across almost the whole country.
The Wales Ambulance Service has warned of potential "long delays" in responding to 999 calls.The Wales Ambulance Service has warned of potential "long delays" in responding to 999 calls.
There were also warnings of more heavy snow for much of Scotland and north-east England, with up to 10cm of snow expected in northern Scotland.There were also warnings of more heavy snow for much of Scotland and north-east England, with up to 10cm of snow expected in northern Scotland.
The lowest UK temperature overnight was -18.7C, recorded in Pershore, Worcestershire. Northern Ireland had another bitterly cold night, with -18C recorded at Castlederg in County Tyrone.The lowest UK temperature overnight was -18.7C, recorded in Pershore, Worcestershire. Northern Ireland had another bitterly cold night, with -18C recorded at Castlederg in County Tyrone.
Thousands of people were forced to spend another night at Heathrow, after few flights departed on Sunday. Thousands of people were forced to spend another night at Heathrow airport and many complained they were poorly treated.
Airport operator BAA said further cancellations and delays at Heathrow would be inevitable. Sarah Randall, from Hertfordshire, said her family were forced to sleep on the airport floor on Saturday night after their Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong was cancelled.
But many passengers were unhappy with their treatment. She said her three children - aged six to 11 - were traumatised by the experience and the treatment of passengers had been "disgraceful".
Sarah Randall, from Hertfordshire, said she was stranded at the airport with her husband, parents and three children - aged six to 11 - after their Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong was cancelled on Saturday morning. Now back home, she said her husband walked through the snow to flag down a taxi on the M4 slip road, but they still had no idea whether the £16,000 cost of the trip would be refunded.
She said they slept on the floor on Saturday night and that her children were still traumatised by the experience. Mr Hammond is to give a statement to MPs in the House of Commons later on the impact of the weather on the transport network.
She complained: "The weather was beyond their control, I know, but my gripe is the disgraceful way all passengers have been treated and abandoned." He said he was aware of the "outrage" of passengers, but he added: "We have had very extreme conditions and aviation is a safety-first business and the conditions at Heathrow have made it difficult for aviation to operate."
She said the family is now back at home after her husband walked through the snow to flag down a taxi on the M4 slip road but they are yet to find out if the £16,000 cost of their "dream trip" to Hong Kong and Bali will be refunded. BAA spokesman Andrew Teacher has apologised for the disruption caused to people's journeys.
Mr Hammond said he was aware of the "outrage" of passengers, but he added: "We have had very extreme conditions and aviation is a safety-first business and the conditions at Heathrow have made it difficult for aviation to operate." He said hundreds of people were drafted in to clear the snow, and thousands of passengers were put up at hotels near the airport.
BAA spokesman Andrew Teacher told the BBC: "We had five inches of snow in an hour on Saturday afternoon and hundreds of planes parked when the snow came down. We have drafted in hundreds of people to clear the snow and thousands of people have been put up in hotels near the airport. Staff had given out thousands of blankets, food vouchers and water bottles to passengers stuck in the airport, he added.
"Inevitably some people are at the airport and I'm not going to sit here and say it has gone well. We are extremely sorry for the disruption to people's journeys. The south runway remains closed, but staff were working "round the clock" to get it cleared, Mr Teacher said.
"People are in the lounges and all over the airport. We have given out thousands of blankets, food vouchers, bottles of water and there is free wi-fi. Things are improving slowly." "If there was a crash or a plane skidded off the runway, we would have people saying 'why didn't you close the runway?'" he added.
Mr Teacher said: "We are not trying to shun responsibility but Heathrow is not the same as an airport in Finland or Istanbul. If you had a Heathrow in Finland the same thing would happen. If you have 200 planes and five inches of snow you are going to get this."
He said the north runway was open but the south runway was still closed and staff were working "around the clock" to get it cleared.
Mr Teacher also pointed out safety was the top priority: "If there was a crash or a plane skidded off the runway we would have people saying 'why didn't you close the runway?'"
There has been some disruption to rail travel on Monday as people return to work after the weekend.
Some London-Leeds and London-York services were cancelled on the East Coast Main Line and there were long queues at St Pancras station for Eurostar services to the continent, which is also suffering from severe weather.
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for France, warning of disruption to road, rail and air travel in the country.The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for France, warning of disruption to road, rail and air travel in the country.
  • Driving conditions on the M5 in Somerset are described as "treacherous" and there are reports of motorists abandoning their cars on the motorway.
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  • Most schools in England have already closed for the Christmas break but 472 schools have had to shut early in Northern Ireland, 170 in Wales and at least 50 in Scotland.
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  • Manchester City have confirmed Monday night's Premier League game against Everton will go ahead. Ice and slush has been cleared around the stadium.
  • Elsewhere in Europe there were severe disruptions at airports in Frankfurt, Paris, Florence, and Amsterdam.
Other developments included:
  • Driving conditions on the M5 in Somerset are described as "treacherous" and there are reports of motorists abandoning cars on the motorway
  • Most schools in England have already closed for the Christmas break but 472 schools shut early in Northern Ireland, 170 in Wales and at least 50 in Scotland.
  • Manchester City confirmed Monday night's Premier League game against Everton will go ahead after ice and slush were cleared around the stadium
  • Elsewhere in Europe, there was severe disruption at airports in Frankfurt, Paris, Florence and Amsterdam.
BA chief executive Willie Walsh admitted the company had not done enough to communicate with passengers already at Heathrow about their flights.BA chief executive Willie Walsh admitted the company had not done enough to communicate with passengers already at Heathrow about their flights.
The Highways Agency has said it is doing its best to keep major roads in England clear, but that motorists should check traffic and weather conditions before considering whether to go out. The Highways Agency said it was doing its best to keep major roads in England clear, but advised motorists to check traffic and weather conditions before deciding whether to head out.
Frozen Britain - a BBC News special programme on the disruption caused by the recent severe weather will be broadcast on BBC One at 1930GMT on Monday, 20 December.Frozen Britain - a BBC News special programme on the disruption caused by the recent severe weather will be broadcast on BBC One at 1930GMT on Monday, 20 December.
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Map Key

  • Land
  • Cloud
  • Lakes, Rivers & Sea

Fog

Light Heavy

Frost

Light Heavy

Pressure Fronts

Cold Warm Occluded

Rain

Light Heavy Extreme

Snow

Light Heavy

Map Key

  • Land
  • Cloud
  • Lakes, Rivers & Sea

Fog

Light Heavy

Frost

Light Heavy

Pressure Fronts

Cold Warm Occluded

Rain

Light Heavy Extreme

Snow

Light Heavy
Temperature tab onlyTemperature tab only

Temperature (°C)

More details from BBC Weather

Temperature (°C)

More details from BBC Weather
Have you been affected by the heavy snow and ice or have your travel plans been disrupted? You can send us your experiences using the form below:Have you been affected by the heavy snow and ice or have your travel plans been disrupted? You can send us your experiences using the form below:
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