Stranded drivers sleep in cars on motorways

Motorists were forced to spend the night on the M25, preferring the risk of hypothermia to that of treacherous driving conditions.

Witnesses saw dozens of cars lined up on the hard shoulder as snow drifted onto the motorway. The clockwise lanes were closed today between Reigate and Leatherhead, between junctions eight and nine.

The London-bound M20 in Kent was also temporarily closed between junction nine at the Ashford turn-off and junction eight at the Leeds Castle turn-off.

The Highways Agency said today there had been too many minor accidents on the roads "to put a number on" and recommended that people only make essential journeys. But it insisted the organisation was well prepared to deal with snowfall.

It added that the number of traffic officer patrols had been increased, there were extra staff to control rooms across the country and gritters had been working through the night.

The AA has warned motorists to keep warm clothes in their cars or else risk "flirting with hypothermia". One of the worst-hit areas was Hampshire where some roads were impassable in the morning rush hour while the M3 northbound was down to one lane.

Elsewhere in England, snow closed the A66 in the North-West and two lanes of the M62 over the Pennines were also closed for several hours.