THE last of the heavy snow has fallen in East Anglia but ice will continue to create treacherous conditions on the region's roads today, a weather expert has warned.

By Danielle Nuttall

THE last of the heavy snow has fallen in East Anglia but ice will continue to create treacherous conditions on the region's roads today, a weather expert has warned.

Drivers were caught by surprise yesterday morning when parts of Suffolk saw four hours of continuous heavy snow, plunging traffic into chaos.

Although scattered snow showers and sleet are predicted to affect the region today, weather experts say it will be less severe and temperatures should rise over the weekend.

Last night East Anglian Daily Times weatherman Ken Blowers said freezing temperatures overnight would turn slush into ice and warned drivers to take extra care.

He said: “Today again it will continue to be cold but there will only be scattered showers of snow and sleet.

“The temperature overnight will drop to freezing point so whatever is on the road I'm afraid that will freeze.

“There after I think things will gradually improve because we have a high pressure area coming in from the west.

“It quietens things down. It will be dry next week and the temperature will go up to 8C (47F). That will feel like spring has come.

“I don't think there will be any more snow next week. It will completely die out on Sunday.”

Heavy snow showers yesterday caused traffic chaos around Suffolk as dozens of vehicles were forced off the road.

The A14 near Claydon was completely blocked in both directions when three lorries jack-knifed on the Ipswich-bound carriageway at 10.50am.

The same road was partially blocked on the Orwell Bridge and police were inundated with reports of vehicles skidding in ditches in rural areas.

Problems started around 9.30am when the predicted snowfall took its grip on the county.

The first indication of what was to come occurred when a car skidded into the central reservation at Bramford at around 9.30am. The female driver was uninjured but described as shaken.

Shortly afterwards, a vehicle spun on the road and partially blocked the Ipswich-bound carriageway of the A14 at Stowmarket.

A vehicle obstructed the Orwell Bridge when it lost traction and hit the central reservation.

Police were then called to deal with three vehicles that had collided on the A14 at Claydon and were facing the wrong way, with one of them on the embankment.

A lorry then skidded and hit the central barrier of the Ipswich-bound carriageway near the Asda turn-off, blocking the road around 9.44am.

Suffolk police spokeswoman Lisa Miller said: “Due to the amount of snow that fell in a short period of time, Suffolk police had numerous reports of vehicles that skidded and collided, especially on the main roads around Ipswich.”

Meanwhile, a pedestrian injured in a collision with a car in Ipswich on Thursday has been described as being in a stable condition.

The woman, believed to be in her late 40s, suffered head injuries in a crash in London Road at about 8.10am.

Hundreds of schools were closed across East Anglia after heavy snowfall yesterday, including 150 in Suffolk.

Suffolk Coastal District Council admitted last night it had to suspend its waste collection service from noon yesterday due to poor weather.

The service is expected to resume today and residents who did not have a collection are asked to put out their black sacks and paper recycling ready for collection from 7.30am.

The Coastal Ploughback brown bin collections have also been suspended and residents who had put out their garden waste are asked to put out their brown bin for emptying on March 18.