Dorset shivers during Beast's last howl causing chaos

There were fresh snowfalls overnight on Sunday which led to treacherous conditions on the roads in the morning with a severe weather alert for ice issued.

Motorists were warned even treated routes were slippery and those not gritted could be ‘treacherous’.

Those heading out were warned to take ‘extreme care’ and even to postpone journeys for a few hours.

While main routes were passable with care, villagers had extreme difficulty driving in rural areas.

Forecasters say temperatures will start to rise from today following the last icy blast which caused another day of disruption yesterday.

An overturned lorry on the A37 between Dorchester and Yeovil resulted in the main route being closed for more than five hours to allow a major recovery operation to take place.

Police said the lorry had to be emptied of its contents turned onto its wheels to be recovered.

It happened on Wardon Hill near the Holywell turning about 5.50am.

The driver of the lorry was taken to Dorset County Hospital and the vehicle was recovered with the road reopening shortly before 11.30am.

There were also reports of a jackknifed lorry blocking the A35 dual carriageway section between Bridport and Dorchester.

Driving conditions were said to be challenging in the area.

Scores of schools were shut over fears for the safety of staff and students giving pupils a three day weekend.

Many were closed, with some announcing they were shutting on Sunday night and more yesterday morning.

All the senior schools in Weymouth, Portland and west Dorset were among those closed.

Elsewhere, First Dorset buses were disrupted in Weymouth and west Dorset throughout the morning.

The firm was forced to abandon operating its Jurassic Coast services while Weymouth services 2,3 and 4 diverted from their original routes due to black ice.

Damory’s services were also affected in west Dorset due to hazardous conditions.

Bournemouth Airport was closed for a few hours due to safety concerns with travellers urged to contact individual airlines for information.

Several snow inspections took place before it reopened just after 11.30am.

A spokesman for the airport, added: “The airport implemented its snow plan and had personnel on standby for clearing operations as required.”

Afternoon flights to Geneva, Malaga, Lanzarote and Malta were largely unaffected.

Dorset County Council’s gritting lorries and snowploughs out in force all day yesterday and Highways England urged drivers to take care until all the snow had melted.

On the trains, Great Western Railway was forced to suspend services between Weymouth and Westbury due to ice damage on the tracks.

A number of South Western Railway services were also either cancelled and disrupted for up to 30 minutes between Weymouth and Southampton Central due to faults with the electrical supply.

Some household recycling centres were closed and there was disruption to bin collections.

Residents were urged to check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours to see if they needed any help during the cold spell.

A spokesman from Age UK, added: “Exposure to the cold can have a devastating impact on older people, who are particularly vulnerable to the impact of low temperatures.

“As people get older it takes longer to warm up which can be bad for health.

“Breathing in cold air lowers the body temperature, and raises the risk of chest infections, heart attacks and strokes.”

Bitterly cold temperatures were reported across the county.

The Met Office said that Monday was a brighter day for many with sunny spells although bitterly easterly winds were felt throughout the county making it feel several degrees colder than what thermometers showed.

However, they added that today would see a return to normal March conditions with temperatures reaching a high of eight degrees.

A spokesman added: “March has seen significant snowfall across Dorset but forecasters are predicting we have seen the last of the white stuff for this winter.”