Road chaos as snow hits UK

Heavy blankets of snow pelted the UK on Sunday and caused delays on roads and in airports.

The M56 near Warrington in Cheshire was closed in both directions for five hours as a sheet of ice caused a number of collisions and further accidents were reported further south on the M40 in Oxfordshire.

Forecasters said that up to eight cm of snow is likely to fall in parts of southern England, while heavy snow and icy roads are predicted at an 80 per cent chance for commuters in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The forecast for the week is expected to improve for drivers, with a spokesman for the Met Office saying that temperatures "will return to normal levels of around 12 degrees centigrade by the end of the week".

Drivers are cautioned to be aware of any roads that could become icy in freezing temperatures and ensure they are up to date on their car insurance as ice and snow on roads increases the risk of road accidents.