Blizzards cause NI roads chaos

Motorists have been urged to take extra care

Bad weather caused travel chaos and closed dozens of schools across Northern Ireland on Tuesday.

The Roads Service said it was some of the worst weather in recent years and warned of further poor conditions.

In one incident on Tuesday, five children on their way to school escaped when their bus crashed off the road in a snowstorm and ended on its side.

Tony Wylie, manager of Ulsterbus in Ballymena, north Antrim, said the schoolchildren had a lucky escape.

Resting place

He said: "The bus was going along an untreated road and it just went out of control on the hard frozen snow.

"The near-side wheel started to go off the road and there was a slight drop into a field so the driver worked very quickly and got the children off the bus through the emergency door.

"He then got himself out before the bus came to its final resting place."

Driving conditions were dangerous on roads right across Northern Ireland.

Four men died in separate road accidents on Monday evening.

Power lines were brought down near Toomebridge in County Antrim.

About 1,000 customers in the area were without electricity for a time.

According to the Met Office, the north and west of Northern Ireland were the worst hit, with reports of between 10-15 centimetres of snow falling overnight.

Pupil turnout

On lower levels, an average of about five centimetres fell, making driving conditions particularly difficult.

Snow caused difficult driving conditions on the M2 between Templepatrick and Sandyknowes, as well as the A1 headed towards the M1.

For a time the mountain road between Coleraine and Limavady was passable only with extreme care.

At Belfast City Airport, early morning departures experienced delays and two flights to Heathrow were cancelled.

More than 100 schools were closed due to the severe weather, with some of those staying open reporting a lower pupil turnout after school bus routes were hit by the snow.

The Road Service said some roads would be gritted again on Tuesday night.

The Met Office is urging drivers to take extra care.

High gusts of winds in coastal areas and some ice on roads will make driving conditions hazardous.