Snow chaos - live updates (From Daily Echo)

7:40pm

With most people (hopefully) tucked up inside at home now, it's probably time to call an end to our live blog.

Thanks very much for joining us and keep an eye on the website for some more snow stories over the weekend.

7:37pm

Deputy leader of Hampshire County Council Mel Kendal has said that ice will prove a serious problem across the county over the weekend, particularly in Ringwood.

He has urged motorists to “drive very carefully and slowly” and to “keep a distance from the car in front”.

He added: “Today has been one of those interesting days.”

7:21pm

Fed up of pictures of snowmen? Well here is a snowcat in Bitterne, created by Rachel and Louise.

7:02pm

It's snow joke (see what I did there) we have been inundated with your fabulous photographs of your frosty fun in the white stuff.

But don't stop them coming, we want to see all your snow sculptures in all their glory.

Send your snowy pics to picdesk@dailyecho.co.uk.

6:53pm

6:47pm

6:41pm

Charles Balchin & Robyn Foley in Lakeside Country Park, Eastleigh.

6:37pm

The Nuffield Theatre has been forced to cancel the performance of Ghetto due to take place tonight and tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s night’s Comedy Bar Big Gig has also fallen victim to the white stuff.

Box Office staff are in the process of contacting all ticket holders but if you require any further information call 023 8067 1771.

6:32pm

6:29pm

5:52pm

With snow continuing to fall, police have issued more advice to motorists planning to travel this evening and tomorrow, with the headline messages being quite simple: leave more time for your journey home and plan your route carefully.

Hampshire police, who have been co-ordinating the response effort from the Adverse Weather Office since 4.30am, warned congestion is likely on routes as traffic will be moving slowly.

But all major trunk roads have been gritted and the local authorities will be operating gritters throughout the night and into tomorrow. Minor roads may present some difficulties but are passable with care.

All motorists waiting in traffic congestion are "strongly urged" to be patient and  remain with their vehicles.

With the temperatures remaining low, conditions are likely to turn icy tonight and tomorrow.

If you are unsure about driving in these conditions consider using public transport, bus services are returning to limited operations.

5:47pm

Taking out the sledges in Lyndhurst

5:34pm

Proving there's absolutely no such thing as having too much time on your hands, Lianne and Chris Hollis have sent in pictures of not one, but two particularly impressive snowy creations.

First off, they've presumably been listening to a lot of Aled Jones over Christmas, because they've recreated The Snowman from Raymond Briggs' classic cartoon.

And not content with that, they've also been busy sculpting the bear from a popular advert for a well-known brand of soft drink (that's Coca-Cola, in case you hadn't guessed).

5:19pm

More contenders for Hampshire's biggest snowman have been coming in. We're not entirely sure which is actually taller, but here are the latest entries...

Here's Amelia Davies with the super-sized snow creation her favourite uncle Nathan built for her.

And this towering member of the frosty family has been sent in by a proud Mike Hontair.

Meanwhile, just to prove size doesn't always matter - this smaller (but perfectly formed) effort has been sent in by "Paddy".

4:59pm

Tomorrow's planned Park Run on Southampton Common has been cancelled by organisers because of the bad conditions.

4:57pm

4:55pm

GOOD NEWS! After being closed all day the runway at Southampton Airport is now due to open at 5.30pm.

The check in desks are now open for the following flights:

• 5.55pm to Amsterdam
• 6pm to Paris-Orly
• 6.10pm to Manchester
• 6.30pm to Dublin

4:54pm

We asked for giant snowmen, and this one is pretty huge!

Carl Lester sent in this picture, which is of a snowman that was made by a group of children (with help from a couple of big kids), at Casbrook Field, Upper Timsbury, Romsey.

It took nearly an hour to build and stands around eight foot tall.

Pictured with the snowy creation are Dexter Lester, four, and his two-year-old sister Rachel.

4:53pm

It wasn't just those escaping from their offices and classrooms that enjoyed the snow.

At Paultons Park, Peppa Pig and George are wrapped up in their winter woollies playing in the snow at Peppa Pig World. 

4:16pm

A car battles on Waterloo Road in Freemantle.

3:30pm

Oh dear! Just when you thought things couldn't get worse, the weather forecasters have said they believe more snow is on the way. Oh, and they also think temperatures are going to drop even further.

Read the latest full weather outlook here.

3:20pm

3:19pm

The City of Southampton Orchestra's Family Concert, planned for Central Hall tonight, has been postponed because heavy snowfall has prevented access to the venue.

A new date will be announced as soon as possible and existing tickets will be honoured.

3:11pm

SNOW has silenced the Voice of Golf Peter Allis who was due to give at The Concorde Club, Eastleigh tonight.
A spokesman for the Stoneham Lane club said that the BBC TV commentator and sports personality had to postpone his appearance because of the weather.
But he has been re-booked for Friday February 8. It is the latest in a series of guest spots at the club by top sportsmen which have included Gazza.
 

3:01pm

Hundreds of homes across Hampshire are facing hours without power this afternoon.

It comes after a power line came down at Ower at about 12.30pm.

That meant that 2,400 houses in West Wellow, East Wellow, Ower and Romsey were without power.

Southern Electric has since restored power to half of those homes.

But the company has reported that the rest may not be reconnected for another few hours.

2:56pm

After the picture of the smallest snowman of the day, here's the biggest we've seen so far. Georgie Barnes has sent us a picture of this eight-foot whopper in Mountbatten Avenue in Romsey.

Have you got a big one (snowman, that is - stop sniggering at the back)? Send your pictures to newsdesk@dailyecho.co.uk.

2:50pm

2:21pm

Here's surely a contender for the smallest (and cutest) snowman of the day.

The Benji Bears at Southampton Solent University have been busy building their own polar pal today, complete with obligatory mortarboard.

In perhaps more useful (but definitely less cute) news, the university began to close from 2pm.  The Mountbatten Library will remain open until 5pm, at which time caretakers will begin locking all buildings across the city centre campus.

Currently it is planned that the Mountbatten Library will be open from 10am-5pm over the weekend, but the main East Park Terrace car park will be closed until Monday.

2:19pm

Southampton Airport will now be closed until at least 5pm.

Public buses to the airport have been cancelled and there is a reduced train service running.

Passengers planning to travel today should continue to check with their airlines for the latest information prior to coming into the airport.

1:56pm

1:56pm

Fareham Borough Council have confirmed that no refuse, recycling, green waste or trade waste collections will be taking place today

Bosses are asking residents to put their bins out for normal collection days next week.

Lysses car park and Market Quay car par are currently closed, but Osborn Road multi storey and Fareham Shopping Centre car parks remain open apart from the open air top floors
Fareham’s public toilets, apart from those in Fareham Shopping Centre, are closed until further notice.

Ferneham Hall will be closed on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 January, but it is hoped that it will reopen at 9.30am, Monday 21 January.

The cash office at the Civic Offices will close at 3pm today, and the main offices will close at 4pm.

Executive leader of Fareham Borough Council, Councillor Seán Woodward said: “We are working hard to maintain as many Council services as possible during the adverse weather.”

1:53pm

Today of all days! Southern Electric have just confirmed that 250 homes on the Isle of Wight are without power.

1:50pm

Latest weather forecast:

1:46pm

The trains are still running, albeit to a revised (by which they mean reduced) timetable.

And South West Trains has announced its special snow-hit timetable will remain in place tomorrow too.

Jake Kelly, Customer Service Director for the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, said: “The snowy weather is causing disruption to road and rail transport in many parts of the country. 

"We have already seen snow fall on large parts of our network, however the special timetable we have in place is running well and means that trains have more time to cope with the poor weather conditions.  

“With forecasters predicting heavy snowfall throughout the rest of the day and freezing temperatures over the weekend, we’ve taken the sensible decision to continue running our revised timetable on Saturday. 

"The revised timetable helps us to ensure we can make the best use of our resources to deliver the most robust service for passengers.

“The timetable we can provide on Saturday will be slightly different to the service we’ve been able to offer today and services are expected to be busier than normal.  

"We’d therefore advise passengers to check the timetable before they travel and ensure they allow enough time to travel to and from the station.

“Our staff are working incredibly hard to keep as many trains running as possible as well as keeping depots and stations clear and safe, however we understand the impact this is having on our passengers and would like to thank them for their patience during these difficult conditions.”

1:35pm

Bosses at Southampton General Hospital have said that it is pretty much business as usual today despite the snow.

1:31pm

New Forest District Council offices in Appletree Court, Lyndhurst, have now been closed after being open for the morning.

Frontline staff are still working hard though, assisting Hampshire County Council with gritting roads and pavements.

The district’s five leisure centres will be closing at 2pm but hope to be open for business as usual tomorrow morning.

A spokesperson from the council added that refuse crews were able to make some rubbish collections this morning, but they were not able to reach everywhere.

1:13pm

Whilst there are many hardy souls at the Daily Echo who have braved the conditions to bring you the news, our deputy news editor David Brine wasn't able to get into the office.

So instead, he's done what any self-respecting person would do, and has used his time wisely to build a snowman with his kids.

David is pictured to the right of the supersize snowman with his boys, Alex and Michael, as well as neighbours Chris and Rose Laver on the left.

1:05pm

1:04pm

For anyone in the Ringwood area who doesn't get their mail today - this might be why.

A postman lost control of his van at 11.30am on the Alderholt to Ringwood road in treacherous conditions.

He waited for his van to be recovered by the RAC.

The postie, who would not be named, was uninjured but shaken. The van had passenger window smashed.

He said: "I just lost control and slid straight into the ditch. There was nothing I could do."

12:46pm

Bin collections have been suspended in Test Valley.

A spokesman for Test Valley Borough Council statement said: “Due to the poor weather conditions, all waste collection teams have now returned to the depots and no further waste collections will take place today.

“We do not expect the situation to improve for collections to be undertaken tomorrow. Waste collections will therefore resume on Monday – weather permitting.

"Residents are asked to place their bins out for collection as normal. Further updates will be provided as necessary.

“Where possible, operational staff are assisting with gritting duties and helping to clear snow in key areas.”

12:45pm

The University of Southampton's Crisis Management Committee has decided to close the university from 1pm, except the National Oceanography Centre and Southampton General Hospital campuses that are run independently.

A spokesman said "the potential for freezing conditions and poor transport links would pose an unnecessary risk for staff and students".

The university will remain closed over the weekend.

12:43pm

Rain may be nice weather for ducks, but the snow is clearly a hit with the huskies.

Rescue dog Havana has been enjoying the snow today at Southampton's Blue Cross animal centre.

The husky, who is nearly two-years-old, is looking for a home. Anyone interested in taking her on can find out more at bluecross.org.uk.

12:35pm

David Rodigan’s show at the Orange Rooms in Southampton tonight is the latest to fall victim to the snow.

A new date has yet to be confirmed.

12:32pm

12:30pm

Daily Echo reporter Tara Russell has sent in this picture of a hardy soul battling to push his bike through the snow in Ringwood.

12:15pm

Tonight's Mayor's Charity Schools Prom at Fareham's Ferneham Hall has been cancelled.

Details regarding a new date or refunds will be available on Monday.

Ferneham Hall will be closed tomorrow and Sunday, and will reopen at 9.30am on Monday.

Here's why:

12:12pm

In Winchester all lectures at the university have been cancelled although the library and canteen at the King Alfred campus on Sparkford Road remain open, said a spokeswoman.
All lessons have been cancelled at Peter Symonds College but some 500 students are heading through the snow to take exams. Two hundred and eighty are this morning sitting A/s levels in English Literature, physics and environmental studies.
This afternoon 270 are sitting maths and law, said a college spokeswoman.

12:10pm

All performances of Jack and the Beanstalk at Southampton's Mayflower are going ahead today. If anyone has taken the day off and can get there safely, they can get into the matinee at 1.30pm for just a fiver.

11:57am

11:53am

STAFF at Winchester Jewry Street-based Wilds Sports were rubbing their hands but not with the cold.

This morning they have sold more than 50 sledges, bringing in some £1,000.

Owner Danny Cornter said today: "This is great for us and we have been hoping for it for a while. I have stock left over from the last big snow two years ago and I even bought a few more sledges before Christmas because I knew this was coming."

11:52am

11:45am

11:44am

Hampshire police have closed the front offices at some stations around the county because of the bad weather.

Officers will still be working at Gosport, Ryde, Alton and Andover, but there will be no counter service.

The force says anyone who needs to speak to police should call either 101, or 999 in an emergency.

11:44am

Picture editor Paul Collins has sent in this photo of Southampton Central Railway Station.

11:40am

11:40am

Craigh mcMahon has sent us this picture of young Holly in the New Forest.

11:33am

Southampton's transport boss has paid tribute to the gritting team in the city.

Cllr Asa Thorpe, said staff treated all top priority roads at 2am today with 20 grams of salt, which prevented snow falling on frozen surfaces and freezing.

Those routes were all running clear at 8am, so the council started to treat its second-category routes, but when the snowfall increased gritters were diverted back onto the major routes with snowploughs.

Cllr Thorpe said: “City council staff and our partners Balfour Beatty have pulled out all the stops to keep the city moving today in pretty grim conditions and are still hard at work.

"Main routes are gritted but with continued heavy snowfall, extreme caution is still needed on all roads. With more snow predicted throughout the day, we are asking the public to stay home and stay warm wherever possible and check our website for updates.”

11:30am

Binmen in Test Valley are continuing with their rounds despite the snow. Other councils are currently letting us know what their refuse services are up to.

We'll keep you posted as soon as we get something from them.

11:24am

Bad news for anyone who was hoping to go to The Brook in Portswood tonight.

The two bands - Guns n' Roses Experience and support act Voodoo Vegas have cancelled their gig as it is too dangerous for them to travel to Southampton.

11:19am

Peter Elliot stopped during his bike ride to work this morning to take this panorama of the River Itchen at Riverside Park, near Mansbridge.

11:15am

The good people at Southampton's Romanse traffic management centre say Shirley Road in the city has been closed.

They are also advising there are "very long delays" eastbound on Tebourba Way and Winchester Road, and that is is slow up the hill on Bursledon Road, where staff from Jewsons were earlier helping to grit the road and keep things moving.

11:13am

Like everywhere else it is still snowing at Southampton Airport where teams are trying to clear snow.

The airport will remaining closed until 3pm with all Flybe and Aurigny flights before 2pm cancelled.

Flights from Southampton Airport this morning have been cancelled to the following destinations: Amsterdam, Manchester, Limoges, Guernsey, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Dusseldorf, Rennes, Nantes, Hannover and Jersey.

Passengers planning to travel today should continue to check with their airlines for the latest information prior to coming into the airport. 

11:12am

11:11am

11:10am

All of Southampton's libraries will be closing at 1pm, the city council has announced.

11:09am

Echo reporter Jenny Makin has spotted a crash between a National Express coach and a van at the junction of Burgess Road and the Avenue in Southampton.

Emergency services are on the scene.

11:07am

David Lloyd in Frogmore Lane, Nursling is closed after a boiler failed. It was open earlier but has just taken the decision to close for the day.

11:05am

11:05am

All lectures at Southampton Solent University after 12pm have been cancelled.

The University of Southampton however remains open as normal.

11:04am

In Southampton, the bin men have been diverted from their normal duties to help with the gritting effort.

10:57am

Southampton Art Gallery is closed today due to the snow, the city council have announced.

10:56am

10:56am

Stream in Ramally Copse, as photographed by Kevin Byrne.

10:50am

Snow drift on the Itchen Bridge, taken by Echo reader Karen Ockleford.

10:45am

Here's proof the buses are going nowhere. Drivers have been parking up at the side of the road after services were suspended in Southampton.

#hanoverbuildings #southampti #hantssnow - Buses going nowhere. http://t.co/VZbBjJHB

— @SignableGB 18 January 2013

10:39am

All household waste collections in Eastleigh have been suspended today.
Household waste collections for grey refuse, green recycling bins, kitchen waste and glass will resume on Monday.
Advice to residents is to put their wheeled bins, glass boxes and kitchen waste bins out as normal from Monday and leave them until they have been emptied.
Residents whose grey refuse, green recycling bins, kitchen waste or glass were not emptied on Friday should leave their bins out for emptying for Monday and they will be emptied as soon as possible – weather and safe access permitting.
Garden waste for today and Monday have been suspended, however the council will collect an additional bag of garden waste on their next scheduled collection.
 

10:36am

10:35am

10:33am

Former Echo man Phil Burner is obviously enjoying his leisure time these days - he's sent us in this photo from Titchfield.

10:30am

10:28am

A second car transporter has found itself in difficulty today. This one is being dug out in Six Dials, where as another was filmed earlier today struggling to get up the hill on Terminus Terrace - see the video from 9.13am.

10:26am

Julie Preston took this picture of the snow in Hedge End

10:22am

10:21am

An accident is blocking one lane southbound/westbound M3 approaching the junction with M27.

Drivers are being warned to expect delays.

10:10am

Traffic on the Itchen Bridge as recorded by Ed. Stilliard:

10:06am

10:05am

10:04am

Saints are going ahead with their pre-match press conference today, but Pompey's match against Scunthorpe is off.

10:04am

Hampshire County Council have advised that a number of their Household Waste and Recycling Centres are closed today.

They include: Household Waste Recycling Centres in Andover, Bishops Waltham, Casbrook, Efford, Gosport, Hayling Island, Paulsgrove, Petersfield, Segensworth, Somerley, Waterlooville.

9:58am

9:56am

Health bosses in Hampshire told patients that they will be told if their appointments are cancelled today due to weather.

They issued a statement saying that the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester, Basingstoke and North Hampshire Hospital and Andover War Memorial Hospital are open as usual today. 

It added: "If any service is affected patients will be contacted directly.
 "Patients are advised to attend outpatient appointments unless advised otherwise by the hospital."
 

9:50am

An Echo reader calling himself 'Jack Frost' has sent us in this superb photo of a baltic looking shore at Netley, at about 8.30am.

9:46am

9:46am

There has been an accident in Maybush near the former Ordnance Survey site. Hampshire Fire & Rescue are on the scene.

9:38am

9:35am

Some people don't hang around! Sports editor Simon Carter is enjoying his day off by building a snowman with his daughter - they had this finished before 8.30am this morning!

9:34am

9:32am

A bus has slipped on the snow on Bevois Hill in Southampton and is blocking the entrace to Thomas Lewis Way, according to police.

9:25am

9:25am

The New Forest as pictured by Tara Russell

9:23am

9:19am

Daily Echo reporter Tara Russell has just reported that there  are treacherous conditions in Ringwood forest.

She says there is a four inch covering of snow.

"Normally busy roads are eerily silent as many people snowed in."

9:19am

Lances Hill in Bitterne is proving to be a challenge too far for many drivers. Lots of cars getting stuck at the bottom according to a motorists in the area.

9:16am

Hampshire police are advising motorcyclists and cyclists alike to take to four wheels if they have to go out on the roads today.

9:15am

9:14am

9:12am

As mentioned earlier, Hampshire police have closed the hill at Civic Centre Road/Western Esplanade in Southampton.

9:09am

9:08am

Canute Road this morning, by Ed Stilliard.

9:03am

Lots of readers complaining that the roads have not been gritted:

9:03am

9:03am

Daily Echo reader Victoria Davies has sent us this superb picture of the view from Redbridge Towers in Southampton.

9:01am

Lots of reports coming in of vehicles getting stuck trying to tackle hills in the snow across Southampton.

The hill at Civic Centre Road in Southampton has been shut as a safety precaution due to the number of vehicles struggling - 10 were unsuccessfully trying to get up it and four were trying to get down.

8:59am

No flights from Southampton Airport until 3pm today.

A statement said: "So far there have been cancellations to the following flights: Amsterdam, Manchester, Edinburgh and Newcastle.

"The operational team at Southampton Airport have been working through the night to prepare for the snow and the snow ploughs are currently clearing the runway.

"However, snow is expected to continue throughout the day.

"Passengers planning to travel today should check with their airlines for the latest information prior to coming into the airport."
 

8:51am

8:51am

8:48am

Another bus has slipped on the snow in Southampton and is blocking the road. This time it's on Bevois Hill, at it's junction with Thomas Lewis Way - a major route into the city centre.

8:45am

It has just been revealed that due to the weather Southampton Crown Court will not be sitting today.

8:45am

Hampshire police have a deployed a 4x4 response vehicle to deal with any snow-related traffic problems.

The Echo's Jenny Makin is out with them reporting on what they find.

The are currently at Civic Centre Road at the scene of a traffic incident between a car and a motorbike,next to Skandia House.

8:38am

8:38am

Carpathia Drive in Southampton, as pictured by Ed Stilliard:

8:36am

8:36am

Shaun Mason sent us this picture of Hamilton Road, Bishopstoke.

8:33am

8:32am

8:29am

Police are closing Wright's Hill in Weston, Southampton.

8:28am

A bus has broken down at the junction of Hill Lane and Commercial Road in Southampton:

8:27am

Southampton in the snow, from Melanie Adams.

8:26am

The A31 eastbound is at a standstill.

8:24am

8:23am

8:18am

An unnamed reader has sent us this picture of the view in Netley this morning:

8:15am

A motorist has had abandon his car on Shirley Road after it skidded into a lamppost.

8:14am

A car has just slid on WestQuay Road and is partially blocking the road, outside the police station.

8:14am

8:12am

As the day gets brighter, those of you lucky enough to have the day off will not doubt be making the most of the snow - be sure to send us any photos and video you take!

You can either email us at website@dailyecho.co.uk, tweet us at @dailyecho or upload via our website.

8:06am

8:05am

An HGV is blocking part of the road on the A31 at Mallwood Hill.

8:02am

8:01am

Traffic light failure at the Civic Centre adding to the travel problems in central Southampton.

7:56am

Council gritters have been out in force, but they focus on the busiest roads so many minor roads may not have been gritted.

7:54am

There's a car facing the wrong way on the M271 at Nursling, after sliding on the snow and spinning.

7:51am

There's a car blocking lane two of the M3 where it meets the M27 westbound. The vehicle hit the central reservation and bounced back in to the middle of the carriageway.

7:49am

Classes have been cancelled at the University of Winchester.

7:48am

For those of you who are going out on the roads today, here is some advice to follow to ensure your drive is as safe and straightforward as possible:

• Tips for driving in the snow.

7:45am

7:45am

Townhill Park Infants and Juniors in Southampton has also closed, but the school text service which alerts parents is broken.

7:42am

7:40am

The A35 has reopened at Emery Down following an earlier crash.

7:40am

No buses can get out of the depot in Newport on the Isle of Wight, so if you use public transport to get to work over on the Island, you may be waiting sometime.

7:39am

7:38am

More schools have announced they are going to be closed today. See if your school is going to be affected:

• List of Southampton school closures
• List of Hampshire school closures

7:37am

Don't forget to send us your photos of snow where you live. Either email them to website@dailyecho.co.uk or upload them using our special form.

7:35am

Silverdale Road in Southampton:

7:30am

7:27am

If you're one of the lucky ones able to enjoy a day off today, why not watch our guide on how to build a snowman?

7:24am

7:20am

7:19am

7:08am

A couple more schools in Southampton have revealed they are closed. Here's the list - click here

7:01am

The A35 is still shut at Emerey Down after that accident between four cars and a lorry. No one was reported injured.

7:00am

South West Trains has implemented a severe weather timetable and has encouraged commuters to check trains before travelling.

6:59am

Apparently the snow is beinging to affect the A31 across the New Forest with traffic slow between Cadnam and Ringwood.

6:57am

On stand by to keep the runway open at Southampton Aiport is

5 tractors of varying size
2 large powered snow brushes (siccards)
1 large Schmidt de-icing rig
1 smaller de-icing rig
2 pedestrian sweeper/clearers
 

6:56am

Southampton Airport has just sent a snow update.

 Managing director David Lees said: "Passengers flying today should check with their airline for the latest information but it is anticipated there will be disruption to flights.

"We have invested significantly in snow clearing equipment over the last two years, including the purchase of new snowploughs, and we began our planning and preparations during the summer."

 

6:53am

The Southampton list has now been updated too. Click here for the latest closures

6:49am

More schools have announced they are closed today. We've just updated the list for all the latest for Hampshire click here

6:36am

Have you been affected by the snow - iof so let us know and send us your pictures.

Email us at newsdesk@dailyecho.co.uk

6:34am

Timing is everything - as snow hits the region one of the main energy companies has announced a price hike.

 Four million of use will feel an extra chill as E.ON becomes the last of the big six energy giants to increase its tariffs this winter, meaning that its typical standard dual fuel customer paying by cash or cheque will see their bill rise by around £110 a year to £1,370.

The latest price hike comes at a time when households up and down the country are turning up the thermostat.

6:29am

The weather has already caused one major accident. 

The A35 at Emerey Down, Lyndhurst has been closed in both ways.

The crash is beleived to involve several cars and a lorrry.

6:28am

Snow is already stating to to settle on some major routes and police have already issued a warned to drivers.

6:27am

Schools across the region are already closed.

For the list of schools closed in Southampton click here and for the schools and colleges shut in Hampshire click here.

6:18am

They said it was coming and it has - snow hit the south in the early hours of this morning and is starting to settle on roads and pavements.