MOTORISTS are being warned to drive carefully after the first snowfall of winter.

Suffolk police said they have been called to six minor accidents and shunts across the county this morning as well as to two separate accidents on the A12 this morning.

The first happened on the northbound carriageway at junction 30 for Stratford St Mary when a car crossed the road and overturned at 6.25am.

The second crash was near the junction 31 for East Bergholt on the southbound carriageway with a car leaving the road.

There are still severe delays of more than an hour on the A12 southbound from junction 32 for Belstead to junction 29 because of an earlier accident

It is understood that nobody was injured in either of the collisions.

A Suffolk police spokeswoman said: “It is snowing but it is not laying at the moment.

“Drivers are advised not to drive too fast and drive sensibly according to the weather and road conditions.”

In Colchester, snow and ice in Hawthorn Avenue is causing delays between the Avon Way junction and the Bromley Road junction as well as in Mile End Road outbound between Colchester Station and the Mill Road junction.

The snow also caused disruption to flights to and from Stansted Airport in Essex and forced its closure at this morning just as the first flights were due to operate.

A Stansted spokesman said: “Northern Essex seems to have got the worst of the snow and we had to shut the airport at 6am.

“The roads round here are treacherous. We’re advising passengers to check with their airlines.”

The airport was reopened at 8.30am but some flights have been cancelled while others will be delayed.

Greater Anglia has reported “good service” on the region’s rail network.

More than 50 schools in Essex have been forced to close their doors to pupils today including Great Tay Primary in Colchester while Bishop William Ward Primary opened later that normal.