Britain faced further travel disruption on Monday as the “mini beast from the east” brought snow and ice to large areas of the UK overnight. Parts of Devon and south-west England were expected to bear the brunt of the freeze, with up to 30cm of snow in some areas. Highways England closed the A30 in both directions due to rapidly changing conditions.
Eighty-two people were forced to take shelter in a school after becoming stranded on a 64-mile stretch of the A30. They were moved to a rest centre at Okehampton College. Devon County Council confirmed the closure of dozens of schools on Monday, while train services were also affected.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled at airports across Britain, including 146 at Heathrow alone, as runways were covered in snow. Gatwick airport apologised for the disruption and urged travellers to check with their airline. In Cornwall, an Asda manager said some stores were running low on bread and milk due to panic-buying.
In Cumbria, mountain rescue teams helped 15 people stuck in a cafe near Kirkby Stephen. The weather brought traffic to a standstill on some of the country’s busiest roads, including the M62 in Yorkshire. Three snowploughs were dispatched to the motorway as conditions were described as “a little bit wild”.
Snowfall also caused disruption across parts of Ireland, with an orange snow-ice warning extended to 6pm for seven counties, including Dublin. Some bus routes were curtailed and events to mark the St Patrick’s bank holiday weekend were cancelled. In Wicklow, snowdrifts of up to 90cm were reported.
Residents of coastal homes in Hemsby, Norfolk, were evacuated over fears of coastal erosion. One resident described how a cliff gave way, saying it was “like an earthquake”. The Met Office issued a yellow warning for Monday, noting ice on roads, pavements and cycle paths. Temperatures were expected to return to more typical March conditions by Tuesday.
