No end in sight to the travel nightmare

The travel nightmare continued in the West Midlands today as drivers, buses and trains got stuck in the snow.

Temperatures fell to -6C (21F) overnight and forecasters warned of a fall to -8C (18F) tonight with up to another inch of snow expected.

Forecasters warned there was no end in sight to the freezing conditions.

Virgin Trains was trying to keep going at least one of its three hourly services between Birmingham and London.

And a 64-year-old woman died after a collision between her Corsa and a van in Staffordshire, in Jolpool Lane near the junction with the B5066, at about 6.15 last night.

Waitrose, in the Ryemarket Shopping Centre, Stourbridge, had to be cleared at 4.30pm yesterday after a pipe burst. Contractors worked through the night to repair the damage.

Queues built up around city centres in the rush hour this morning with traffic bumper to bumper on Wolverhampton's ring road and routes surrounding Birmingham.

Steven Keates at the Met Office said: "In built-up areas of the West Midlands we could see another 2cm (1in) of snow from about 6pm tonight."

Scores of flights from Birmingham Airport were again set to be cancelled as fears grow families will be unable to get away — or return home — for Christmas.

The 7.10am British Airways/FlyBe service to Frankfurt, was cancelled today and 11 flights were delayed.