SCHOOLS closed and transport struggled to cope as Britain continued to suffer in the grip of winter today.

A layer of snow and icy conditions proved hazardous for motorists in the Monday morning rush while rail and air services continued to be hit.

Thousands of children got an extra day off as schools remained closed in counties to the north and east of London. In some cases, parents were asked to bring shovels to help clear paths to enable them to open.

Virgin Trains warned of some cancellations in its services between London and Birmingham and the North West, while services into London King’s Cross were also affected.

Eurostar, First Capital Connect, Southeastern, Southern and South West Trains were all facing disruption.

There were delays on some London Underground lines, mainly because of late finishes to engineering work, while the bad weather caused hold-ups on the London Overground service.

Heavy snowfall closed two major roads across the Pennines, the A628 Woodhead Pass and the A66 between Brough and Bowes.

The Highways Agency said both routes would be closed for some hours and advised drivers to find alternative routes across the Pennines.

At Heathrow, some 10% of flights were expected to be cancelled, particularly after 4pm when visibility is expected to be low. Passengers were advised to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport.

Yesterday, people were left fuming after 260 flights were cancelled - 20% of the airport’s usual business.