Snow strands up to 1,000 people on UK moor

Up to 1,000 people were stranded in heavy snow on Bodmin Moor in Cornwall, southwest England overnight (NZ time) as blizzards closed a major road.

More than 100 people were evacuated six rest centres in the area, and some schools decided to keep their children overnight for safety rather than trying to make the dangerous journey home, Devon and Cornwall police said.

They said had declared a major incident and urged drivers to stay with their vehicles until help arrived.

The vehicles, including coaches, were stuck on the A30 between Kennards House and Bodmin.

Police said there were no reports of serious injuries or fatalities.

Mike Collenzo, manager of the nearby Jamaica Inn, said he had filled 17 of his rooms with drivers who had abandoned their cars for the night.

"I've never seen anything like this up here," he told BBC television. "Speaking to a few older locals, they've said it's not since the 60s they've seen weather like this."

Forecasters said the heavy snowfalls blanketing Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and southwest England could turn to ice overnight.

Blizzards and deep snow disrupted transport across many parts of Britain on Friday, shutting schools in Wales and bringing power cuts to northern Scotland.

The Meteorological Office urged drivers and pedestrians to take extra care on Saturday morning as slushy snow freezes, creating treacherous conditions on pavements and roads.

"Overnight there is a risk it's going to be turning into ice rather than snow," said a Met Office spokeswoman.

She forecast "significant snowfall" would spread to southeast England overnight on Friday and Saturday morning.

But it was unlikely, she added, that there would be more snow coming this weekend to areas that had already been hit.

"Where they've had the really heavy snow, it's going to be turning more sleety -- they're not looking to get a lot more snow as we go towards the weekend," she added.

The Met Office says the cold snap could last until the middle of next week.

- REUTERS