HEAVY snow has wreaked havoc in the region - with 40 vehicles involved in accidents in Suffolk.

MORE than 50 vehicles have been involved in collisions on Suffolk's roads this morning as heavy snow makes driving conditions treacherous.

In one incident on the A14 at Bury St Edmunds 10 cars collided with each other after a car overturned.

A person was taken to hospital with serious injuries after a car collided with a tree on the A140 at Thornham Magna. The road is currently closed close to the scene and diversions are in place.

Fire crews were called to a car stuck in a ditch off the A134 at Cockfield at 9.24am and one person was taken to hospital.

East Anglia is expected to suffer the worst snow across the country in the next couple of hours with police warning motorists not to make journeys until they have too.

Inspector Wolton of Suffolk police said: “We would advise anybody not to travel unless they have to do so. If you do travel take sensible precautions such as making sure the car is defrosted and the windows and mirrors are clean and that you have a blanket and hot drink in case you get stuck.”

Forecaster Jim Bacon said the snow started just after dawn in West Suffolk and moved south-eastwards across the county. But he said the snow would clear and melt away this afternoon.

“We are in the middle of March so it is going to melt fairly quickly and there should not be many problems for people getting about. Just be aware that the back roads which were not gritted overnight may still be frosty and be a bit slippery.”

Mr Bacon said the snow would be replaced by drizzle into the afternoon but in the north-east of Suffolk near Lowestoft there could be on or two snow showers around tea time.

Overnight parts of north east England, Yorkshire and Staffordshire were hardest hit as a blanket of heavy snow fell. Forecasters say the UK is always more likely to have a white Easter than a white Christmas. However the chances of snow were greatly increased this year because Easter Sunday is only one day after the official start of Spring.

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