FRANCE: Snowstorms sweeping across Europe stranded hundreds of motorists in northern France and brought chaos to other countries.
Scores of travellers spent the night in community centres and hotels near the north-eastern French city of Nancy, where about a foot of snow fell. France closed its border with Italy until mid-afternoon.
Main highways were closed for several hours in parts of northern Germany and in the northern Netherlands, homeless shelters set up extra beds. In Croatia, heavy snow and icy rain caused officials to close down local roads, cutting off access to dozens of central villages. Snow also played havoc with trains in Hungary, where nearly 120 trains were running behind schedule.
Britain was braced for further icy blasts last night with even colder conditions - and heavy snow - likely today. Kent, eastern England and eastern Scotland took the brunt of the freezing weather which led to severe disruption on the roads and railways. - (PA)