Travel disruption across Yorkshire as snow and wind warnings issued

The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for ice and high wind today, with snow also falling in many places overnight.

And a further warning has been issued tomorrow for snow.

There were reports of drivers in the Scarborough area turning around and abandoning journeys at Manor Road, Scalby Road and Cloughton Bank as traffic came to a standstill.

And a school coach came off the road in Sleights this morning, narrowly avoided hitting nearby homes.

School coach hits ice and skids off road at Sleights

North Yorkshire Police’s road unit reported poor driving conditions between Malton and Scarborough, with several collisions in those areas.

They include a crash at East Heslerton in Ryedale where one lane of the A64 was closed.

One lane of the A64 was also closed in Tadcaster and the road was closed at Sutton Bank when a car overturned.

Humberside Police is also reporting road closures due to collisions, including Dunswell Lane in Cottingham and the B1249 Driffield to Scarborough road near Langtoft.

The Ouse Bridge has also been closed to high-sided vehicles.

Bus services are being affected in West Yorkshire, with Calderdale, Halifax and Bradford bearing the brunt.

In Leeds, the city council has closed the area around Bridgewater Place due to high winds.

How is the snow affecting public transport in Leeds and West Yorkshire?

Further south, conditions were much worse, with a warning that lives could be at risk on parts of the east coast and residents urged to evacuate from their homes.

Three severe flood warnings - which warn of a danger to life - are in place for Friday lunchtime in coastal areas of Essex in the face of gale-force winds and high tides, while dozens of flood warnings have been imposed as the east coast braces itself for a storm surge.

The Environment Agency has warned that coastal communities in Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex should be prepared for large waves and possible flooding.

Emergency services were putting an evacuation plan into action in Jaywick, near Clacton-on-Sea, with police officers going door-to-door informing residents of the evacuation, which is beginning at 7am on Friday.

Police in Suffolk have warned that more than a thousand households are likely to be moved to safety.

The Ministry of Defence said about 100 soldiers from the Catterick army base have been deployed to Skegness on the Lincolnshire coast where about 3,000 residents have been urged to leave their homes or move upstairs.

The three severe flood warnings are in place for Clacton to Lee Wick, West Mersea, The Strood and adjacent marshland, and Tidal River Stour at Mistley, including the Quay and The Walls, all in Essex.

Suffolk Police said specific areas of the coast have been identified as being at high risk of flooding - taking in around 1,100 properties which are likely to be evacuated.

London’s Heathrow Airport said a combination of snow and windy weather conditions had impacted on flights.

A spokesman said: “There have been a total of 80 flights cancelled for Heathrow Airport.”

The Met Office had issued yellow “be aware” warnings of wind and snow for Scotland, warning of gusts of up to 60mph in places and 4in (10cm) to 8in (20cm) of snow on higher ground.

The warnings also extend to northern parts of England as well as Wales and Northern Ireland, where thick snow blanketed Coleraine and Ballymena.