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Warnings issued as Britain braced for further snow and ice Warnings issued as Britain braced for more snow and ice
(40 minutes later)
Weather warnings for ice and snow are in place across Great Britain as the Arctic freeze continues. Weather warnings for ice and snow are in place across much of Britain as the Arctic freeze continues.
Rain is expected to fall across Scotland, Wales, and the north and west of England, which may freeze the instant it hits surfaces.Rain is expected to fall across Scotland, Wales, and the north and west of England, which may freeze the instant it hits surfaces.
Drivers have been urged not to venture on to roads in Cumbria after police were called to nearly 100 accidents caused by freezing rain.Drivers have been urged not to venture on to roads in Cumbria after police were called to nearly 100 accidents caused by freezing rain.
Some 2-5cm of snow is expected to fall in parts of the Midlands later.Some 2-5cm of snow is expected to fall in parts of the Midlands later.
Emergency calls
The Met Office has issued an "amber" warning for the north of England, urging people to be prepared for widespread ice.The Met Office has issued an "amber" warning for the north of England, urging people to be prepared for widespread ice.
"Yellow" warnings, telling people to be aware, are in place in a number of English, Welsh and Scottish regions."Yellow" warnings, telling people to be aware, are in place in a number of English, Welsh and Scottish regions.
Forecasters are predicting the rain will freeze instantly as it hits very cold surfaces in some places, with the resulting ice making pavements and roads "extremely hazardous".Forecasters are predicting the rain will freeze instantly as it hits very cold surfaces in some places, with the resulting ice making pavements and roads "extremely hazardous".
The A66 trans-Pennine route was closed on Thursday morning after a number of lorries jack-knifed near Stainmore in Cumbria and there have been a large number of crashes on the M6.The A66 trans-Pennine route was closed on Thursday morning after a number of lorries jack-knifed near Stainmore in Cumbria and there have been a large number of crashes on the M6.
The North West Ambulance Control Centre said it had answered almost 1500 emergency calls since midnight and responded to 187 incidents, where patients had fallen. North West Ambulance Service control centres have answered almost 700 emergency calls since 08:00 GMT on Thursday, and responded to 187 incidents where people had fallen.
Meanwhile, staff at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary are asking people not to go to A&E unless it is strictly necessary.Meanwhile, staff at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary are asking people not to go to A&E unless it is strictly necessary.
The BBC Weather centre's Sara Thornton said the rain would turn to snow through the evening and overnight as it moved across north east England, the Midlands, and parts of east Wales. 'Ice patches'
A light covering could also affect the west of London. A Cumbria County Council spokeswoman warned that road conditions were expected to remain hazardous through Friday.
"If you draw a diagonal line from the Wash to the Isle of Wight, the majority of the snow will be north-west of that," she said. She said: "Although air temperatures have risen above freezing in many places, ground temperatures remain below zero, causing the rain to freeze on the ground and create patches of black ice."
Temperatures remain very low across England, with temperatures in London hovering around 1C and at freezing in Newcastle. In Gateshead, Tyneside, six vehicles collided in freezing conditions on the Felling bypass and drivers were trapped after a crash at the junction of the A194 and the A1 southbound.
The cold weather is set to continue into the weekend, but Saturday is forecast to be a "nice bright sunny day". BBC weather forecaster Alex Deakin said: "Freezing rain is when super-cooled water droplets hit a surface and instantly freeze - almost impossible to drive on.
"Now, the emphasis is shifting. Yes, it's still icy outside but we're also now starting to see some snow falling, particularly over parts of north-east England."
He said the snow would gradually track its way southwards through Thursday evening and overnight.
Up to 5cm (2ins) of snow could fall in some places, he added.
Train services
A spokesman for the train companies said they were were gearing up to deal with the bad weather.
"The whole industry will be working hard to get people from A to B as quickly and reliably as possible," he said.
A Network Rail spokesman added: "We are working closely with the forecasters and train operators to track the weather system across the country and put plans into action to run the best possible train service for passengers."
With the snow and ice, the charity Age UK has warned that elderly people are particularly vulnerable.
Age UK director general Michelle Mitchell said: "Low temperatures raise blood pressure which puts people at a greater risk of heart attacks and strokes as well as increasing the likelihood and severity of flu and other respiratory problems."

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