New snow warning after day of travel chaos and flooding

Major incidents declared and man’s body found in Yorkshire

- TARA COBHAM HOLLY EVANS

Fresh snow and ice warnings have been issued as freezing weather is continuing to cause travel chaos, school closures and multiple major incidents to be declared due to widespread flooding that has left children stranded.

Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) said it declared a major incident in response to widespread flooding across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland yesterday morning, after receiving more than 200 calls. Crews have freed cars stuck in flood water, evacuated residents from flooded homes, and rescued at least 17 members of the public.

Lincolnshire Resilience Forum announced that a major incident had been declared in Lincolnshire yesterday afternoon, with emergency services having to rescue children stranded at a school in Edenham amid flooding.

In North Yorkshire, police said the body of a man had been recovered yesterday from an area of flooding in Beal, near Eggborough and Knottingley.

Officers believe he entered the water on Saturday or Sunday. Police said the man has been formally identified, but efforts to trace his next of kin were ongoing, adding that there are currently no suspicious circumstances surrounding the discovery.

The Met Office issued three yellow warnings for snow and ice, which came into force across large parts of the UK yesterday afternoon and last into Tuesday. Another yellow warning for snow will then be in place on Wednesday.

Many commuters suffered travel disruption heading into work on the first Monday morning of the new year, with major roads closed and railway lines blocked as heavy rain and thawing snow caused flooding.

At 4pm yesterday, the Environment Agency had 177 flood warnings, meaning flooding is expected, and 311 flood alerts, meaning flooding is possible, active across England. At the same time, National Resources Wales had one flood warnings and 18 flood alerts in place.