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
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Your support makes all the difference.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.
Bad news for commuters who use London Waterloo - no trains at all will be running from the station after 8pm.
No trains on any part of the South Western Railway network will run after that time, with the operator blaming further snow and gales forecast for this afternoon.
'We cannot guarantee we'll get you to your destination'
South Western Railway (SWR) has urged people not to travel today if possible, after cancelling every train from 8pm tonight.
The operator admitted to passengers it "cannot guarantee to get you to your destination this evening".
In a statement, the company said: "The forecast this afternoon is for further severe snow and high winds.
"Our colleagues, together with Network Rail have battled tirelessly throughout the night to try to get trains moving in very challenging conditions and will continue to do so throughout the day.
"Despite this, we’ve had to make a difficult decision to close down our service early today. This is so that we can get as many of you home as possible.
We are urging you therefore not to attempt to travel today. If you have already travelled, please return as early as possible.
"Our service will be closing down by 20:00 today. We’re in the process of planning our last trains today. We’ll update you here as soon as we can.
"We cannot guarantee to get you to your destination this evening."
SWR runs every train out of London Waterloo, a major hub in the capital that serves routes to the south cost, south-west, and Surrey.
Trains to Portsmouth, Exeter, Reading, Weymouth and Windsor are among those affected.
Non-London services, including trains from Portsmouth to Southampton and Ascot to Guilford, have also been cut.
South Western Railway's decision to cancel all trains after 8pm tonight comes after passengers were forced to endure a night after a train broke down last night.
The service from London Waterloo to Weymouth ground to a halt near Christchurch, Dorset, on after the train track providing it with power froze.
Four other trains to stop behind it and forced passengers to endure a night without heating or electricity inside the carriages.
Commuter Philip Brown was one of around 50 passengers who spent 15 hours on the 5.05pm service which broke down.
The 49-year-old insurance company worker said: “It was too cold to sleep. There were people with jumpers wrapped around their legs trying to keep themselves warm.
“I didn’t have any food or water. I couldn’t tell you how cold it was but it was cold enough to prevent you from sleeping.”
Cannabis farm discovered after heating makes it only snow-free property on street
Snow – or the absence of it – has been credited by police for helping expose a vast cannabis farm in West Yorkshire.
As the town of Keighley fell prey to the same blizzards blighting much of the country this week, suspicion fell on one conspicuous property.
It was the only one on the road without snow on the roof.
Officers from West Yorkshire Police were greeted by a strong smell of cannabis as they approached the house - on the aptly named Arctic Street - and found 322 plants inside.
A strong heat source is required to cultivate a cannabis den, meaning any snow that landed on the building's roof during the cold spell had melted.
PC Caroline Foster, an early intervention and prevention officer in Keighley West, tweeted a picture of the plants, saying: "Whilst the snow has kept the burglars at bay it has also helped us in finding some rather large plants...hmmm I wonder why there is no snow on your roof?"
She later added: "Removing this filth from the streets is always great. Knowing that the morons responsible for it are £80k out of pocket is a Brucey bonus!"
Police had first been alerted to the property by community intelligence, and visited it at around 2pm on Thursday.
They found plants in all four bedrooms and in the cellar of the house, but no-one was home at the time.
Some were said to be nearly 6ft tall.
The force said work was ongoing to recover the plants, which will be examined and valued.
No arrests have been made.
Stem cell couriers battle the snow
Potentially lifesaving stem cell transplants, used to treat blood cancer and blood disorders, are still reaching patients despite the snow, charity Anthony Nolan has said.
The charity matches individuals willing to donate their stem cells to patients. Once a person donates their stem cells, the trained volunteers have just 72 hours to deliver them.
Lindsay Codsi had to travel from Europe, and managed to get a space on a flight to Manchester. Once in Manchester, she had to get a taxi to Glasgow.
She said: “Being an Anthony Nolan volunteer courier often throws up unique challenges and experiences. Managing to deliver the stem cells on time in face of the horrendous snow was a moment of great relief and satisfaction”
Lindsay Codsi in Glasgow having successfully delivered stem cells (Anthony Nolan)
Henny Braund, Chief Executive Officer at Anthony Nolan, said: "Our fantastic volunteer couriers are unsung heroes helping to give a second chance of life to those in desperate need.
"The call can come at any time, come rain, shine or snow, and our couriers travel to all four corners of the world to bring life-saving stem cells, and hope, against all odds to ensure that patients receive the treatment they need."
£15m cost of storm
Storm Emma will cost the insurance industry more than £15m after a deluge of claims related to broken-down cars and failing boilers, according to PwC.
Mohammad Khan, general insurance leader at the accountancy firm, said: "As Storm Emma continues to develop, it is too early to predict the full impact but the total costs for the insurance industry so far will be at least £15 million and this will rise as more snow falls.
"Insurers are being inundated with calls. There have been 8,000 motor incidents over the last three days and home insurance claims are being made as some people's heating and hot water stops working.
"Frozen or weather-induced broken pipes are also resulting in an uptick in calls about house floodings. Commercial insurers may also be impacted, with some businesses potentially making business interruption claims after being forced to temporarily shut offices due to the weather."
Concern for missing women
Mountain rescue teams are "very concerned" for a missing woman who set out on a hill walk in Clackmannanshire, Scotland, during the heightened weather warnings.
Police believe Alison Fox got lost in the Ochil Hills near Menstrie after heading out on Thursday afternoon.
Search teams have been checking the area but no trace has been found of the 51-year-old from Alloa.
Officers say they do not want members of the public to join the search as snow and high winds continue to hit Scotland but have appealed for any sightings or information.
Alison Fox
Ms Fox is white, about 5ft 2ins and slim, with short red hair and thick glasses.
She speaks with an English accent and is said to be a keen hill walker.
Inspector Jim Young said: "The adverse weather on the hills makes us very concerned for Alison's welfare and we are keen to trace her as soon as possible.
"I must stress that I do not want members of the public to come out and assist with the search due to the weather conditions but if you have any relevant information that can help us establish Alison's whereabouts please contact the police immediately. "
In Manchester, police are concerned for a teenager who went missing after leaving a bar on a bitterly cold night.
Charlie Pope, 19, left the Zombie Shack cocktail bar in Manchester city centre at around 2.30am today and was last seen on Whitworth Street at 4.50am.
Inspector Lisa Ogden said: “Charlie has not been seen for over 24 hours now and his loved ones are understandably concerned given the harsh weather.
“Our searches will continue as we do all we can to find Charlie and reunite him with his family, but we’re asking for the public’s help."
Charlie Pope
More than 1,900 flights to or from UK and Irish airports were cancelled today:
Here are the 10 airports with the most cancellations:
London Heathrow: 370
Dublin: 342
Edinburgh: 219
London City: 153
Bristol: 139
Glasgow International: 132
Manchester: 70
London Gatwick: 69
Southampton: 58
Birmingham: 53
Freezing rain 'turning roads into death traps'
Bands of freezing rain which have doused parts of the UK risk turning roads into icy death traps, motorists have been warned.
Roads and railways have been rendered impassable by the coldest start to March on record, stranding hundreds of people in treacherous conditions.
Travel misery could be compounded as freezing rain sweeps across southern parts of England and west Wales on Friday afternoon.
The Met Office issued a yellow weather alert until midnight, saying the rare phenomenon could spell icy stretches which may be difficult to see.
The RAC said frozen rain - which occurs when snow, ice, sleet or hail passes through a layer of warm air before cooling again closer to the ground, freezing immediately on impact - could pose a deadly road risk.
Traffic spokesman Rod Dennis said: "Freezing rain perhaps represents one of the greatest challenges any driver could face.
"Droplets of rain which come into contact with the ground and other surfaces freeze instantly.
"This creates a huge hazard as roads may look clear and safe, despite actually being potentially icy death traps.
"Where freezing rain is forecast, put simply drivers should avoid using their vehicles in affected areas."
The Met Office added on Twitter that black ice was a threat that could be caused by freezing rain, as it "may not be visible, but it will be there".
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