PARTS of Britain woke up to a white Easter Sunday, a few days after the official start of Spring.
Motorists were urged not to take to the roads in parts of north-east England, Yorkshire and Staffordshire yesterday as heavy overnight snow brought widespread travel disruption.
North Yorkshire Police described the conditions as "horrendous" with
a number of minor accidents on the county's roads.
Durham Police said the A66 trans-Pennine route was closed for the second night running due to heavy snow as Easter fell on the earliest date for nearly a century.
Forecasters said the UK is always more likely to have a white Easter than a white Christmas. Bookmakers William Hill were preparing to pay out £10,000-plus to punters who bet on a white Easter in London.
While some surfers took to a snow-covered Tynemouth beach, Tyne and Wear, three people had to be rescued from heavy snow on Scafell Pike in the Lake District, England's highest mountain.
It is believed they were attempting the three peaks challenge – to the climb the highest mountains in England, Scotland and Wales in a short period, often 24 hours.
In some parts of the country, wind gusted up to 60mph and there was 3cm of snow at Carterhouse, Roxburghshire, which is 990ft above sea level.
Ambulances had to be freed by mountain rescue teams early yesterday in Sedbergh near Kendal and Houghton, Carlisle.
Cambridgeshire police said they had problems with "people who can't drive". A spokesman added: "They see a bit of slushy stuff and don't adapt."
In Bedfordshire, Woburn Safari Park was closed. Management said it was worried that if cars skidded off the roads, they might hit some of the animals.
The full article contains 292 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
