Snow and black ice have caused treacherous driving conditions and widespread road closures across Essex.

Below is a round-up of how the county has fared in the inclement weather...

Snow-go - drivers had to endure icy conditions on the A127

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

North Essex: Snow chaos for drivers

Motorists faced a slow, treacherous journey to work today as blizzard conditions and sheet ice brought chaos to roads across Essex.

Essex Police issued an early morning warning to drivers setting out for work as the big freeze and the first snow of the winter brought a spate of accidents within half an hour of 6am.

A police spokesman said: "Within 30 minutes of 6am there were several serious accidents, with major trunk roads blocked or slow moving due to multiple road traffic collisions."

Among the blackspots today were the Braintree bypass, which was badly affected by black ice, and the A12 London-bound at Margaretting, where there was a multiple vehicle collision.

Jean Upton, of Essex County Council highways department, said the snow had been predicted in advance.

"The gritters had been out and about since early this morning. They are clearing the main routes for emergency vehicles first, then going on to smaller routes."

Weather experts expect the freezing conditions to continue with temperatures dropping as low as -8 degrees C overnight.

A London Weather Centre spokesman said snow would clear quite quickly to the East, but it would be very cold. Tonight temperatures would drop to -2 or -3 degrees C in rural parts of Essex, but will be much colder just to the north of Essex in clearing skies.

"It is too early to say whether Essex will be affected by these cold conditions. It will be a choice of being cold or extremely cold."

South Essex: A127 turned into skating rink

Cars spun and skidded into crash barriers along the A127 at around 6am, forcing police to close the dual-carriageway between Wickford and Basildon.

The A127 was also down to one lane Southend-bound between the M25 and the Fortune of War roundabout as the road was only just passable with extreme caution.

A 10-car pile-up which included a jack-knifed lorry closed the M25 between Brentwood and the Dartford Tunnel while the A12 at Margaretting was shut London-bound.

Motorists were reported to be sliding around the roundabout at Rayleigh Weir.

PC Kevin Thomas of Basildon police said: "There is sheet ice everywhere in the region and with snow falling on top of it, conditions are treacherous.

The A127 had to be closed because it was like an ice rink. People should stay off the roads and avoid travelling unless it is absolutely necessary or the weather improves.

"The sudden change in weather has caught many motorists unaware and we have been innundated with calls."

Three teenagers were today (Thursday) recovering from the onset of hypothermia when they were caught out by plummeting temperatures and icy blasts in Hadleigh.

The trio - two boys and a girl - had been cycling for around five hours in the freezing weather yesterday (Wednesday) when they began to lose feeling in their fingers and toes.

They asked firefighters at Hadleigh fire station for help and an ambulance was called as a precaution. The youngsters, aged around 14, were taken to Southend Hospital to be checked over.

Ambulance crews reported being inundated with hundreds of minor calls related to the ice and snow.

A spokeswoman said: "It's been mainly about people slipping over and minor car accidents, bumps and shunts. We are absolutely inundated."

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