Britain’s transport network began to buckle today as heavy snow swept the UK.
Almost 400 flights were cancelled at Heathrow airport while train companies cancelled rail services and roads were closed as the wintry conditions set in.
Forecasts also forced hundreds of schools to shut their doors.
The adverse weather also sparked panic-buying and left more than 10,000 people without electricity.
Forecasters predicted around 30cm of snow for the UK with galeforce gusts around the Scottish isles.
The UK Met Office issued a “red” severe weather warning for heavy snow in
Wales. Amber alerts were in place for the Midlands, London and the South, the east of England, the South West, the North West and Northern Ireland.
Rail travellers also experienced upheaval as operators scrapped services. On the Tube, there were severe delays on the Metropolitan line while Eurostar axed four trains between London and Brussels and South West Trains announced cancellations.
Poor conditions also caused severe hold-ups on the roads. Cardiff city centre became a sludgy bumper-to-bumper convoy of commuters this morning as some braved the conditions while other usually busy routes were empty of cars.
Meanwhile, fears that householders would be snowed in prompted panic-buying which left shelves close to empty.
In South Wales a power cut left thousands of householders without electricity.
But the spectacular dusting of snow came as welcome news for thousands of children.
More than 1,200 schools closed across Wales, more than 500 turned youngsters away in Hampshire and some 300 cancelled classes in Norfolk. The move was cause for celebration among some A-level students whose exams were put back as colleges shut their doors.
In Scotland a mountain rescue operation was launched to find a hillwalker missing in severe weather, who was later found safe and well.
PA