Storm Emma - as it happened: Thousands of trains and flights cancelled across UK as freezing weather and heavy snow set to continue
Military sent in to free trapped drivers on motorway and flood warnings issued as Storm Emma causes fourth day of disruption
Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world
Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email
The military has been deployed across Britain to rescue drivers trapped in cars and help hospitals keep running as extreme weather continues to wreak havoc across the UK.
Forecasters have warned the UK is “not out of the woods yet” as Storm Emma's strengthening winds cause blizzards and snowdrifts, bringing roads to a standstill and leaving commuters facing the fourth day travel disruption.
All trains out of London Waterloo after 8pm have been cancelled, with operator South Western Railway blaming further heavy snow and gales that are expected.
Passengers on Southeastern rail services became so frustrated at delays near Lewisham, south London that they began walking down the tracks.
Two police forces declared "major incidents" as the Army was drafted in to help rescue those left trapped in their cars, while troops in 4x4 vehicles are shuttling staff at four NHS trusts to hospitals and home visits.
Follow our live blog for updates on the extreme weather and travel disruption as it happened.
Read more weather stories on The Independent.
While some army troops have been deployed to several areas of the country to clear roads, free stranded drivers, and help hospital staff to work, others are having a little more fun in the snow:
And they're not the only ones having a nice time:
Drivers have reported being stranded for 17 hours on the A303 between Ilminster in Somerset and Mere in Wiltshire.
More than 100 cars and lorries were trapped on the stretch of road overnight due to a gritter getting stuck in the snow after it "slid sideways", one driver told the Press Association.
Thomas Hamilton, a 36-year-old sales director, was heading from his home in London to a friend's farm when he got caught in the queue.
He said: "I left London at 6pm. We came to a standstill at the start of the A303 around midnight. There were lorries and cars in both lanes trying to get up the hill. We drove past a burned-out car, then we didn't move until 9.30am."
Mr Hamilton, who was stuck only 10 miles from his destination, said he moved for the first time in hours this morning after "a soldier got out in a hi-vis jacket with another good Samaritan and moved lorries".
Wiltshire Council has described the traffic as a "major incident" and urged people not to travel in the area.
The majority of schools in Wales are closed today, along with many libraries and other council buildings and services.
Of the country's 22 councils, 12 are reporting that all schools in their areas are shut while information on the websites of the remaining 10 show hundreds of further school closures.
All flights have been grounded at Cardiff Airport, with an update expected at around 11am.
Several transport companies including Stagecoach in South Wales and Arriva Trains Wales, which has cancelled all services in the south, have suspended services.
Cardiff Council, which has closed all schools and libraries along with Bute and Roath Parks and Cardiff Market, said its teams had been working "around the clock battling heavy snowfall, freezing rain and frozen ground to try and keep the roads clear".
A spokesman said: "Despite this, motorists are facing extremely difficult driving conditions this morning and the transport network is severely compromised."
At least 16 vehicles have been involved in two crashes on the M20 in Kent after the fire service warned of "black ice" on the carriageways.
Kent Fire and Rescue Service said they were in attendance at two collisions - one between junctions seven and eight involving six vehicles and another between junctions three and four involving eight vehicles, in which a vehicle caught fire.
One person is being treated by paramedics.
One driver said they had witnessed three crashes on the road in a short space of time, and saw a number of cars that appeared to have skidded on the road.
The Environment Agency has issued seven flood warnings in parts of the England that have born the brunt of heavy snow and high winds.
The warnings, meaning flooding is expected and people in the danger area should take "immediate action", are in place in coastal areas of the north-east and Cornwall, as well as the Humber Estuary.
The seven areas under a flood warning are:
North Bank of the Humber Estuary in the west of Hull
North Sea at Roker, Sunderland
North Sea at Whitley Bay, Cullercoats and Tynemouth
South Cornwall coast at Mounts Bay
South Cornwall Coast from Lands End to Lizard Point
Swanage Bay
Tyne Estuary at North Shields, South Shields and Howdon Pans
The agency said: "Local coastal flooding is probable for parts of the north-east of England and Yorkshire coast on Friday and for parts of the south Devon and Cornwall coast on Saturday.
"Land, roads and some properties could flood and there may be local travel disruption and public health and safety concerns along coastal routes."
It has also issued 20 lesser flood alerts, meaning people should be prepared for possible flooding, in other areas of England and Wales.
Center Parcs has cancelled all bookings for this weekend at Longleat Forest in Wiltshire.
The holiday village is one of two operated by the company where guests have been advised not to leave their lodges following heavy snow.
In a statement on Facebook, the company said: "Due to the extreme weather conditions overnight access to and from both Center Parcs Whinfell Forest and Longleat Forest is extremely difficult.
"Our teams have been working through the night to try to keep the entrance to the villages clear. However, many of the major roads around both villages are blocked."
In a later update, it added: "Due to the extreme weather conditions affecting the UK, despite our best efforts, we have been forced to cancel all bookings for this weekend at Longleat Forest.
"Longleat have experienced unprecedented weather conditions overnight and access to and from this village is almost impossible. Local police are advising that public do not travel today."
Bookings have been cancelled from today until Monday, 5 March.
Center Parcs villages in Sherwood, Elveden, Whinfell and Woburn remain open.
Thousands of people across Ireland have been left without phone and internet after the country was blasted by blizzards.
EIR said the severe weather has caused damage to its pole, cable and mast infrastructure, knocking out access to broadband, telephone and mobile services to an estimated 10,000 customers.
Co Limerick has been worst hit, with 7,000 customers left without services in the areas of Hospital, Pallasgreen, Murroe, Croom and Kilfinane.
Irish Water has also warned people to conserve water to reduce the risk of interruption to supplies.
With treatment plants running at full capacity, people have been asked not to run taps and or use dishwashers or washing machines.
Walkers in the snow on the Curragh in Co Kildare, Ireland
Kent Police said it received more than 100 calls to crashes within just 30 minutes.
It said roads had been made treacherous by "sudden ice".
The force tweeted: "Please do not become complacent - while some of the snow has disappeared, we've had lots of reports of ice on the roads and pavements today. Please take extra care.
Authorities in Devon and Cornwall are also concerned about the danger ice is posing to motorists.
A gritter slid off in the road and overturned while treating a road near the Devon village of Sheldon. No one was hurt, according to the council, which tweeted a picture of the stricken vehicle.
Trains in Devon have been severely disrupted after a sea wall was "significantly damaged" by huge waves, leaving the tracks flooded.
The vulnerable line, which runs along the coast, has been battered by high seas and fierce gales this week.
Pictures on social media show the size of the waves at Dawlish, where the wall was damaged.
All Great Western Railway and CrossCountry services are currently suspended due flooding and debris on the track.
Services running west out of Exeter and north out of Plymouth have been suspended.
At least 50 deaths across Europe have now been linked to the freezing conditions sweeping across the continent, as people as far south as the Mediterranean felt the impacts of a Siberian weather system.
As many as 21 of those who have died are from Poland, with most being homeless people sleeping rough.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments