© Peter Macdiarmid/Getty ImagesSnow has caused renewed problems on the roads in parts of England and Wales.
The snow returned to parts of England and Wales today, yet again causing problems on the roads and school closures.
Severe weather warnings were issued by the Met Office for parts of south-west and western England and Wales. About 8cm of snow fell on some high ground and there were flurries as far south as Hampshire and as far east as Surrey and in the Midlands.
At the same time the Environment Agency warned householders and businesses in the Midlands and the north-east to expect flooding. The risk may grow in coming days as the thaw causes river levels to rise.
Gloucestershire was one of the areas hardest hit by the snow. Schools in the Cotswolds and the Forest of Dean were closed. The county council said gritters were back out treating all A and B roads on higher ground but lorries were getting stuck on the steeper hills.
Flood warnings were in place on the river Severn between Worcester and the approaches to Gloucester. Temporary flood defences were put in place at Upton upon Severn. Another five warnings were in place on the rivers Ouse and Derwent in the north-east of England. The agency says the warning means that flooding of businesses and homes is expected and people should take action.
Another 28 flood watches, which raises awareness of the probability of flooding in low-lying area and roads were in force in areas across England.
However, there was better news for a couple who had been stuck in their remote cottage in North Yorkshire for 37 days. Mo and Ian Morris finally escaped their snowbound home. They had tried every day to reach a clear road but had been beaten back by snow. Mountain rescue teams delivered food to them but they ran out of heating oil.
Mrs Morris said: "Ian tried each day to reach the moor road without success ... I never thought it could go on this long." Thanks to the efforts of gritters, neighbours and their own tenacity they were able to finally reach the main road and replenish supplies.
The snow has also been fun for big cat hunters. One of them, Coryn Memory, of Thrupp, in Stroud, Gloucestershire, produced a pawprint of what she believes is the "Beast of the Five Valleys".
"My neighbour saw the cat and alerted me," she said. "She saw it running off and we followed its tracks. The prints measure 9cm front to back and the stride is about 120cm long. Tail marks can also be seen."
Memory said she believed her sighting and the print was further evidence that a beast existed.
The Met Office forecast heavy rain tomorrow spreading across the UK and falling as snow for a time across north and north-eastern parts. The weekend is expected to be mainly fine and dry for many.
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