Parts of Cumbria have experienced a deluge of snowfall, making driving conditions hazardous and even causing a tourist attraction to close.
Conditions on the M6 are said to be very poor, with a number of collisions having taken place around Junction 39.
One driver tweeted that she had had to leave the motorway at Junction 39 having been “parked” on the M6 north for some time.
At 3.30pm, Cumbria Roads Police tweeted: “Horrible conditions & multiple RTCs on #M6 this afternoon around Shap/Tebay area, 3 of them in this picture! Fortunately no injuries from any but much disruption as we clear them & recover vehs with usual great assistance from @HighwaysNWEST #SlowDown #BigGaps”.
Horrible conditions & multiple RTCs on #M6 this afternoon around Shap/Tebay area, 3 of them in this picture! Fortunately no injuries from any but much disruption as we clear them & recover vehs with usual great assistance from @HighwaysNWEST #SlowDown #BigGaps pic.twitter.com/mlj1ezCEXk
— Cumbria Roads Police (@CumbriaRoadsPol) January 21, 2018
A Furness driver contacted The Mail this evening to warn of a large amount of black ice on the Dalton roundabout and on the A590 near to Lindal, urging fellow road-users to slow down to avoid an accident.
He said: “I’ve just almost crashed on it - it’s only a matter of time before somebody loses it.”
Meanwhile, tourist attractions elsewhere in the county have suffered because of the snow.
Lowther Castle has shut its doors this afternoon - with some drivers having to be pushed up the hill out of the car park.
Police have also been dealing with a handful of minor collisions on the M6 and the A66 because of the snow. None have been serious and no one is believed to have been hurt.
It means drivers are expected to face some delays on those stretches of road this afternoon.
A spokeswoman for Lowther Castle, near Penrith, said it had been snowing for a few hours this morning - leading to several inches of snow.
"We shut at about 11.30am," she said. "We managed to get everyone out by about 12.30pm - if we'd left it any longer people may have had real difficulty getting their cars through the snow."
The attraction is hoping to be open tomorrow, but will see what the weather brings overnight.
Elsewhere snowfall on the M6 has created poor road conditions, with snow blowing across the motorway and reducing it to just two lanes.
Some roads across the county remain closed following last week's bad weather.
@Cumbriapolice bus has became stuck at thirlmere and the road is impassable heading towards Ambleside traffic is backed up @CumbriaCrack pic.twitter.com/UH3u0Wk4cc
— cat mceuan (@cat_mceuan) 21 January 2018
These include:
- Hardknott Pass
- Cold Fell Road
- Corney Fell Road
A66 west looks like this right now 😬⛄️❄️ take care and slow down cos it’s treacherous!! @Cumbriapolice pic.twitter.com/6yf9aUZbxW
— Ellie🧚🏻♀️🌸🌼🌸 (@Mollybee100) January 21, 2018
There are also hazardous driving conditions due to ice on the A5074 in Levens. It is affecting both directions at the A590.
A686 Hartside Pass to Alston - be aware conditions currently very hostile and snow drifting across carriageway - Highways informed. #staysafe #Alston #Hartside #RoadSafety #Cumbria #roads #HighwaysEngland pic.twitter.com/D5SYlI5BSO
— Eden Police (@EdenPolice) 21 January 2018
A Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice is in place until 6pm.
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