Hampshire roads closed as temperatures plummet to minus 10

A series of crashes on major routes across the region has brought casualties and tailbacks.

Among the accidents, was one on the M27 westbound near Rownhams services, involving up to 20 vehicles.

It closed the motorway in that direction until just after 9am.

There was also a major accident on the Millbrook flyover into Southampton city centre, which has caused tailbacks and shut the road for several hours. It was reopened by 11am.

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First Bus has cancelled services in Titchfield and Southampton.

Wilts and Dorset buses are also not running in Lymington.

There are delays to all Bluestar and Uni-link services in Southampton, with some services avoiding certain stops due to ice.

Baby Bluestar services F, H1, H2, H3, T1 and T2 have all been temporarily suspended as have Bluestar routes 10 and 11.

Passengers have been advised to get to stops on main roads for most journeys.

First buses were all cancelled between 7am and 11am, before many were later reinstated.

Taxi's are still operating in the city, although with limited numbers, Central Shiely cans has a waiting time of two hours, with 30 cars on the road.

West Quay Cars is only taking 12 bookings every 15 minutes to ensure their 28 drivers are safe on the road.

There have been problems on the railways with a train stuck to the line at Sway.

It means South West trains have had to put on a bus to connect Bournemouth to Brockenhurst.

The runway at Southampton Airport has been closed because of ice. As of 10am, four flights had been cancelled while passengers were were experiencing delays of up to two hours. Airport bosses were predicting the airport would reopenlater this morning, weather permitting. Emergency services has issued a warning not to drive unless it is necessary.

A lorry was also reported to have gone into the garden of the Forester Pub in Brockenhust.

The chaos comes after temperatures dropped to minus ten overnight followed by rain this morning.

Roads across Southampton were gritted last night but that was washed away by the rain earlier today meaning highways bosses had to get the gritters out again this morning.

Middle Wallop was one of England's coldest spots overnight at around minus 10C.

Meanwhile two women died and another 47 people were injured after a coach overturned in treacherous icy conditions during what was one of the coldest nights of the year.

The vehicle, which was carrying 48 passengers and a driver back from a trip to see a Christmas lights attraction, left the road and ended up on its side last night near Penzance in Cornwall, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

A rescue helicopter was called in from RAF Chivenor in Devon to help ferry the wounded people to hospital in Truro.

One of two dead women - who were both from the west Cornwall area - was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other died in hospital.

Key details at a glance

• Southampton Airport has reopened its runway
• First buses in Southampton are operating normally , although the 9A cannot stop on Chessel Avenue.
• Taxis and private hire cars are operating but with reduced numbers.
• Most Bluestar and Unilink services are operating normally, although there are some route alterations on routes 4, 11 and 12. Rote 15 is cancelled.
• Baby Bluestar services F, H1 H2 H3, T1 and T2 have been cancelled.
• In Fareham, Gosport and the Meon Valley, First are running reduced services.
• On the rails, a reduced service is operating between Southampton and Weymouth and Fratton and Eastleigh, via Botley.