The Hero
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- Jun 29, 2008
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Blizzard warning as gales sweep South with up to four inches of snow on the way by tomorrow
It may have left its arrival a little late, but winter has well and truly arrived and is about to make up for lost time.
Arctic blizzards of up to 80mph are set to batter the country in the days ahead, with significant levels of snowfall expected.
This time last year, swathes of the country had already been covered in thick snow, causing hundreds of schools to be closed, flights delayed and widespread chaos on the roads and forecasters are now warning of a potential repeat as conditions will only get worse as the week goes on.
Braced for more: Pedestrians tackle a snow covered street in Cannock, Staffordshire, yesterday morning and a full dump of snow is expected as far south as Birmingham tomorrow
High ground: A snow plough makes a route through deep snow past The Cat and Fiddle, the second highest pub in England, which is 1,689ft up in The Peak District National Park
Christmas post: Suzanna Pommeraning makes sure the mail gets through while wearing shorts, despite the heavy snow in Inverness
Peaceful: Snow covered tombstones in the grounds at The Kirk of Shotts Church in North Lanarkshire
Forecaster Jonathan Powell, from Positive Weather Solutions, said: This is Englands first real blast of winter, with snow and strong winds expected to produce blizzards and hazardous driving conditions. Disruption is expected.
A continuing drop in temperatures means up to 4in of snow could fall as far south as Birmingham tomorrow night, while high winds are expected to hit the length of the east coast.
While parts of the country face grinding to a standstill for the first time this winter, one extremely rare baby white reindeer should feel right at home as the snow settles.
North Lanarkshire: Scotland is facing yet more snow as 80mph winds whip through the Highlands
Born too soon: Thirteen ducklings are being cared for by staff at Mallydams Wildlife Centre in Hastings after they were abandoned by their mother
[h=3]EARLY ARRIVALS: 13 DUCKLINGS TAKEN IN BY RSPCA AFTER THEY HATCH SEVEN MONTHS TOO SOON[/h]
Thirteen ducklings were abandoned by their mother after they hatched seven months early.
The shells usually break in spring but RSPCA staff took the ducklings into their care by staff at Mallydams Wildlife Centre in Hastings to ensure they have enough food and warmth.
The baby ducks were spotted at a private pond in Beckley, near Peasmarsh, East Sussex and rounded-up by a concerned animal lover and taken to the charitys wildlife centre.
The ducklings were just days old when they were taken to the centre and will eventually be released back into the wild shortly before their flight feathers develop.
Adam Grogan, senior scientist from the RSPCAs wildlife department, said: 'It is very unusual for wild mallard ducklings to hatch this late in the year.
'Wild mallards normally lay their eggs in the spring and they take about a month to hatch.
'It's possible the recent mild weather may have played a role but we cannot be sure.
'The most likely explanation is that the ducklings are actually a domestic breed of duck which can produce eggs much later in the year.
'Most domestic ducks have been bred from mallards and these ducklings could be the result of an encounter between a wild mallard and a domestic duck.'
Six-month-old Snowy, completely white from a genetic fluke, has been enchanting children at the Victoria Farm Garden Centre in Whitby, North Yorkshire.
Owner Mark Noble, 44, said: We were delighted when we discovered her in one of the fields on our farm.
We have bred reindeer for years, but have never known anything like this to have happened before.
While Snowy might have few problems, motorists are being warned that night temperatures will fall to sub-zero across many parts by Friday night, bringing the risk of black ice on Saturday.
More snow and sleet is predicted to fall throughout the weekend.
Met Office forecaster Dan Williams said: From Thursday evening there is a snow risk as far south as Birmingham the furthest south that snow has been forecast this winter.
The guidance is for perhaps 8-10in on hills in Scotland and 2-4in at lower levels.
With strong winds and possible heavy snow showers, people should be aware of very difficult conditions.
Mr Williams added that although Scotland will be hit the hardest, the cold snap is expected to swiftly travel South.
He said: North-westerly winds are pulling cold air down from the polar regions.
Winds will be strong through Wednesday in Scotland and on Thursday and Friday morning as far south as East Anglia, with 80mph gusts in exposed areas.
He added: Saturday will see frost and widespread road ice, with wintry showers for the whole of the UK apart from the South-East.
The freezing weather claimed two lives on the roads yesterday as two truck drivers died in separate incidents.
One 43-year-old driver was killed when his 40-tonne lorry crashed on the M73, forcing police to close shut a busy stretch of the motorway at Baillieston, Glasgow.
Diesel spilled across the road forcing a second lorry to jackknife.
A second truck driver died in a separate incident when his vehicle skidded off a trunk road in north Lincolnshire after driving conditions turned treacherous.
Humberside Police said the white Scania lorry, which was fully loaded with meat, left the westbound carriageway of the A160 in South Killingholme at about 4.14am.
Another driver was suffered chest injuries in an accident on the A9 near Dalguise in Perthshire, Scotland, as temperatures plunged as low as -7.7C as up to six inches of snow fell north of the border.
Police across the north of England and Scotland are warning motorists to take extra care due to sleet and snow.
Rare: Snowy the reindeer has been enchanting children at the Victoria Farm Garden Centre in Whitby, North Yorkshire
Deaths: The M73 near Baillieston, Glasgow was closed for several hours after one lorry driver died and a second jackknifed, spilling diesel across the carriageway
Turned over: This Hydro Electric truck careened on an icy road in Lewis
Tailbacks: Traffic on the M74, southbound near Baillieston, as long jams built up caused by the death near Glasgow
As 120 gritters distributed 3,000 tonnes of salt, Scotland's Transport Minister warned of the ongoing danger facing motorists up and down the country.
'We have seen a few incidents that have caused some disruption,' he said.
'That is why the Multi Agency Response Team and SGoRR remain operational.
'Our operating companies have also worked through the night, with over 120 gritters out on the trunk roads and motorways to treat every route at least once.
'We are all working hard to keep Scotland moving and get back to normal where disruption does occur, particularly in the North West where conditions are the most difficult.
'We urge the public to continue to exercise care; plan your journey, listen to police advice and check available travel updates.'
Let it snow! Richard Mooney and his dog Toby walk underneath snow-covered bows near Whitburn in West Lothian after six inches of the white stuff fell overnight
[h=3]BRITAIN PREPARES: DEMAND FOR WINTER TYRES AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH[/h]Sales of snow socks, chains and winter tyres are soaring as Britains savvy motorists learn the harsh lessons of being stranded as the first wintry weather of 2011 sweeps the UK.
Research by Halfords says that many drivers have learned their lesson from last year when Britain ground to a halt and they were stranded on icy roads after failing to make preparations for the sudden arrival of winter.
Martin Barber of Halfords said: 'Interest in winter tyres is at an all time high thanks to a succession of particularly harsh winters and a concerted effort by the motoring media to encourage their use during the colder months.
'Weve seen a five-fold increase in the number of enquiries this year versus last.
'We sold our first set of winter tyres to a well prepared motorist in Aberdeen in September, some three months earlier than our previous record, and sales have remained consistent.
Assistant Chief Constable Allan Moffat, of Central Scotland Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland), said: 'I would ask people to remember that both damp and snow-affected roads can hide the hidden danger of black ice, particularly in shaded areas.
'Our message is very much aimed at asking motorists to be aware of the dangers and travel with extra caution.'
The severe conditions also forced airports to close at Inverness, Stornoway, Sumburgh and Kirkwall.
It caused chaos on the roads throughout the country with road closures on the A77, the B7038 at the Kilmarnock junction and the westbound carriageway of the Clydeside Expressway in Glasgow.
The weather also forced school closures in South Lanarkshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Highlands.
Billy Payne, a forecaster with MeteoGroup weather service, said: 'The snow will ease off later this morning with longer spells of rain, but that will turn back into snow.
'Cold air temperatures, which will be below zero reaching around minus three and minus four degrees, means that ice is also a risk.
'There will be significant accumulations of snow over higher ground and the rest of the week will continue to be quite unsettled with wintry showers of hail, sleet and more snow.'
It may have left its arrival a little late, but winter has well and truly arrived and is about to make up for lost time.
Arctic blizzards of up to 80mph are set to batter the country in the days ahead, with significant levels of snowfall expected.
This time last year, swathes of the country had already been covered in thick snow, causing hundreds of schools to be closed, flights delayed and widespread chaos on the roads and forecasters are now warning of a potential repeat as conditions will only get worse as the week goes on.
Forecaster Jonathan Powell, from Positive Weather Solutions, said: This is Englands first real blast of winter, with snow and strong winds expected to produce blizzards and hazardous driving conditions. Disruption is expected.
A continuing drop in temperatures means up to 4in of snow could fall as far south as Birmingham tomorrow night, while high winds are expected to hit the length of the east coast.
While parts of the country face grinding to a standstill for the first time this winter, one extremely rare baby white reindeer should feel right at home as the snow settles.
[h=3]EARLY ARRIVALS: 13 DUCKLINGS TAKEN IN BY RSPCA AFTER THEY HATCH SEVEN MONTHS TOO SOON[/h]
The shells usually break in spring but RSPCA staff took the ducklings into their care by staff at Mallydams Wildlife Centre in Hastings to ensure they have enough food and warmth.
The baby ducks were spotted at a private pond in Beckley, near Peasmarsh, East Sussex and rounded-up by a concerned animal lover and taken to the charitys wildlife centre.
The ducklings were just days old when they were taken to the centre and will eventually be released back into the wild shortly before their flight feathers develop.
Adam Grogan, senior scientist from the RSPCAs wildlife department, said: 'It is very unusual for wild mallard ducklings to hatch this late in the year.
'Wild mallards normally lay their eggs in the spring and they take about a month to hatch.
'It's possible the recent mild weather may have played a role but we cannot be sure.
'The most likely explanation is that the ducklings are actually a domestic breed of duck which can produce eggs much later in the year.
'Most domestic ducks have been bred from mallards and these ducklings could be the result of an encounter between a wild mallard and a domestic duck.'
Six-month-old Snowy, completely white from a genetic fluke, has been enchanting children at the Victoria Farm Garden Centre in Whitby, North Yorkshire.
Owner Mark Noble, 44, said: We were delighted when we discovered her in one of the fields on our farm.
We have bred reindeer for years, but have never known anything like this to have happened before.
While Snowy might have few problems, motorists are being warned that night temperatures will fall to sub-zero across many parts by Friday night, bringing the risk of black ice on Saturday.
More snow and sleet is predicted to fall throughout the weekend.
Met Office forecaster Dan Williams said: From Thursday evening there is a snow risk as far south as Birmingham the furthest south that snow has been forecast this winter.
The guidance is for perhaps 8-10in on hills in Scotland and 2-4in at lower levels.
With strong winds and possible heavy snow showers, people should be aware of very difficult conditions.
Mr Williams added that although Scotland will be hit the hardest, the cold snap is expected to swiftly travel South.
He said: North-westerly winds are pulling cold air down from the polar regions.
Winds will be strong through Wednesday in Scotland and on Thursday and Friday morning as far south as East Anglia, with 80mph gusts in exposed areas.
He added: Saturday will see frost and widespread road ice, with wintry showers for the whole of the UK apart from the South-East.
The freezing weather claimed two lives on the roads yesterday as two truck drivers died in separate incidents.
One 43-year-old driver was killed when his 40-tonne lorry crashed on the M73, forcing police to close shut a busy stretch of the motorway at Baillieston, Glasgow.
Diesel spilled across the road forcing a second lorry to jackknife.
A second truck driver died in a separate incident when his vehicle skidded off a trunk road in north Lincolnshire after driving conditions turned treacherous.
Humberside Police said the white Scania lorry, which was fully loaded with meat, left the westbound carriageway of the A160 in South Killingholme at about 4.14am.
Another driver was suffered chest injuries in an accident on the A9 near Dalguise in Perthshire, Scotland, as temperatures plunged as low as -7.7C as up to six inches of snow fell north of the border.
Police across the north of England and Scotland are warning motorists to take extra care due to sleet and snow.
As 120 gritters distributed 3,000 tonnes of salt, Scotland's Transport Minister warned of the ongoing danger facing motorists up and down the country.
'We have seen a few incidents that have caused some disruption,' he said.
'That is why the Multi Agency Response Team and SGoRR remain operational.
'Our operating companies have also worked through the night, with over 120 gritters out on the trunk roads and motorways to treat every route at least once.
'We are all working hard to keep Scotland moving and get back to normal where disruption does occur, particularly in the North West where conditions are the most difficult.
'We urge the public to continue to exercise care; plan your journey, listen to police advice and check available travel updates.'
[h=3]BRITAIN PREPARES: DEMAND FOR WINTER TYRES AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH[/h]Sales of snow socks, chains and winter tyres are soaring as Britains savvy motorists learn the harsh lessons of being stranded as the first wintry weather of 2011 sweeps the UK.
Research by Halfords says that many drivers have learned their lesson from last year when Britain ground to a halt and they were stranded on icy roads after failing to make preparations for the sudden arrival of winter.
Martin Barber of Halfords said: 'Interest in winter tyres is at an all time high thanks to a succession of particularly harsh winters and a concerted effort by the motoring media to encourage their use during the colder months.
'Weve seen a five-fold increase in the number of enquiries this year versus last.
'We sold our first set of winter tyres to a well prepared motorist in Aberdeen in September, some three months earlier than our previous record, and sales have remained consistent.
Assistant Chief Constable Allan Moffat, of Central Scotland Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland), said: 'I would ask people to remember that both damp and snow-affected roads can hide the hidden danger of black ice, particularly in shaded areas.
'Our message is very much aimed at asking motorists to be aware of the dangers and travel with extra caution.'
The severe conditions also forced airports to close at Inverness, Stornoway, Sumburgh and Kirkwall.
It caused chaos on the roads throughout the country with road closures on the A77, the B7038 at the Kilmarnock junction and the westbound carriageway of the Clydeside Expressway in Glasgow.
The weather also forced school closures in South Lanarkshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Highlands.
Billy Payne, a forecaster with MeteoGroup weather service, said: 'The snow will ease off later this morning with longer spells of rain, but that will turn back into snow.
'Cold air temperatures, which will be below zero reaching around minus three and minus four degrees, means that ice is also a risk.
'There will be significant accumulations of snow over higher ground and the rest of the week will continue to be quite unsettled with wintry showers of hail, sleet and more snow.'