Snow and ice warning for drivers

Heavy snow and ice led to severe weather warnings to drivers

Warnings of heavy snow and ice have been issued across the South East, with drivers warned to beware of black ice on roads.

Severe weather was forecast in Kent and Surrey by the Met Office.

Blizzard conditions were reported in Leatherhead and Dorking in Surrey, and in Horsham, West Sussex.

Temperatures dropped below freezing in many places overnight, with -4C recorded in Surrey. Kent Police warned people not to drive unless necessary.

The force said there had been crashes on the A21 in Kent, and conditions on the A249 and M2 were very icy.

Milder conditions were forecast for later on Sunday.

Nazaneen Ghaffar, from the BBC Weather Centre, said there was snow across the region on Sunday morning, but it was not settling and would clear away by 1400 GMT.

"After that we will have some rain, and because of the cold temperatures that could cause black ice.

"All motorists should take extra care when out and about today, especially on untreated roads," she added.

Operation Snowflake

Councils have used gritter lorries to clear roads of any snow and ice.

Last month, West Sussex County Council launched Operation Snowflake, testing its fleet of gritters and snow ploughs in preparation for the cold weather.

Stocks of salt were assessed to make sure the council was ready for this weekend.

Gritters were set to cover 1,000 miles of roads - 42% of the county's road network.

The AA has advised motorists to be aware of the greater stopping distances required in ice and snow.