By Craig RobinsonTHE region is bracing itself for more snow with the current cold snap expected to continue into the rest of the week.Although East Anglia largely escaped the snow that fell across the country yesterday, the cold weather now seems set to remain until the weekend at least, when temperatures could drop as low as -2C (28F).

By Craig Robinson

THE region is bracing itself for more snow with the current cold snap expected to continue into the rest of the week.

Although East Anglia largely escaped the snow that fell across the country yesterday, the cold weather now seems set to remain until the weekend at least, when temperatures could drop as low as -2C (28F).

Early warning of the cold snap over the weekend had allowed gritting lorries to get out early to ensure roads remained open.

Despite the precautions there was still a spate of accidents across Suffolk linked with the weather conditions, prompting police to warn motorists to take extra care.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said there had been 25 accidents between midnight and noon yesterday, but no-one had been seriously injured.

She added: “Weather conditions have no doubt played a part in some of these accidents and we would urge caution on the roads because the snow is expected to continue.

“We are asking motorists to exercise extreme care, keep their speeds down, increase their following distances and treat back roads that have not been gritted as potential hazards.”

Yesterday's accidents included a car leaving the road and ending up in a ditch in Foxhall Road, Rushmere St Andrew, at about 5.45am, as well as a vehicle leaving the A137 at Wherstead and ending up in a field at about 6.05am.

A vehicle also left the A12 at Wangford at about the same time, while two vehicles were also involved in a collision in Angel Street, Hadleigh, shortly before 8.10am and a car and cyclist were in collision in Princes Street, Ipswich shortly, after 8.35am.

A car was also in collision with a telegraph pole in The Street, Little Bealings, at about 8.40am.

But East Anglian Daily Times weatherman Ken Blowers said the winter had so far been extremely mild.

“January has had temperatures above average almost every day, so what is happening now is normal service being resumed,” he added.

“This weather is coming down from the North-East, it's caused by an anticyclone anchored to the north-west of Britain sucking down air from the arctic.

“The majority of Suffolk had a light sprinkling of around 2cm to 4cm of snow in the early hours of yesterday. The rest of the week the temperatures should be around 6C (42F), although there will be frost at night when temperatures may well reach -2C (28F).

“However although there will be showers for several days there will also be good spells of sunshine between showers.”

But Mr Blowers warned that there is a long way to go before the winter of 2005 could be considered a “harsh” one.

He said: “For the last eight years we have always had a light sprinkling of snow. The last time we had anything that really caused any disruption was 10 years ago in early 1995.

“In 1979 we had 14 inches of snow in 48 hours and that caused 12ft snowdrifts. But the last really big freeze that we had, with weeks of cold weather, was back in 1963. Compared to then this current spell is nothing to get worried about.”

craig.robinson@eadt.co.uk