Warning for drivers as northern England, Scotland hit by snow

A severe weather alert has been issued to drivers as the first significant snow of winter fell across a large swathe of northern England and Scotland. High-level routes across the Pennines were hit by the wave of snow which swept across the north of the country from yesterday evening. The Snake Pass between Manchester and Sheffield was closed for a number of hours in the early hours of Wednesday morning before the road was cleared and motorists reported tricky driving conditions on the higher parts of the M62 and other motorways. Highways England issued a severe weather alert, urging motorists in the North of England and the Midlands to check conditions before setting out and ensure they have a winter kit in their vehicles. And commuters took to social media to warn of difficult conditions from Leeds, through the Yorkshire Dales to County Durham. West Yorkshire Police tweeted: "#snow falling in the county this morning. Please take usual precautions. Take extra time for your journey." And Durham Police posted: "Parts of Durham & Darlington are affected by snow & ice this morning, drive carefully & allow extra time for your journey." Further south, Surrey Police officers tweeted a...