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Rush hour delays as snow and sleet hits the West Midlands

Motorists have been delayed across the West Midlands as the first snow and sleet of the year falls on the region.

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Accidents on the M5 and M6 caused early morning delays as drivers suffered the consequences of horrible road conditions.

At around 6.30am a crash on the M6 southbound blocked one land between junction six for Birmingham and junction five for Castle Bromwich, while delays remained in place throughout the morning rush after a smash on the same motorway northbound, between junctions 14 and 15.

Traffic had to be stopped briefly to clear the northbound crash, which happened shortly before 7.30am.

The road re-opened shortly after but traffic remained congested from junction 13, with delays of up to 25 minutes reported.

An early accident on the M5 northbound delayed traffic between junction four for Bromsgrove and junction three at Halesowen.

Meanwhile drivers in Stafford faced 30 minute delays as a result of roadworks at Beaconside, with queues backed up to the M6.

A snowy scene in Birmingham today

Snow fell overnight in patches across the West Midlands but the majority had cleared by sunrise. The resulting slush made for extremely wet roads across the region, with emergency services urging drivers to travel with caution.

Snow on City Road in Tividale. Photo: @CharlJohn86

Further afield, a man died in the early hours after a crash on the M40 in Warwickshire.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to an incident near Henley-in-Arden not far from junction 16 at about 1.10am.

A spokesman said: "When crews arrived they found a car on the embankment at the side of the carriageway that had suffered considerable damage.

"The man was found on the carriageway. Sadly there was nothing that could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene."

The motorway was closed northbound after junction 15 for investigations, with drivers diverted via the A45 Coventry Road.

Three men were also injured, one seriously, after a two-vehicle crash on Hagley Road last night.

The bad weather is set to continue on Thursday, with snow expected to reach higher areas of the West Midlands. Lower areas will see patchy rain in the morning but a clear and dry afternoon with cold winds.

Cloud will return overnight and temperatures are expected to plummet again, leading to further sleet, snow, frost and ice.

The plummeting temperatures have prompted public health chiefs to warn the elderly to keep their homes warm and have the flu jab as forecasters predict the cold front is set to remain into the weekend, with Scotland and northern England bearing the brunt of the wintry weather.

John Lee, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, said: "There will be a widespread frost and minimum temperatures overnight could get as low as minus 4C (24.8F) or 5C (23F) in Scotland.

"There will be snow across southern Scotland and northern England, which could be quite heavy at times, especially during the night.

"Over the next few days temperatures are unlikely to get much higher than 5C (41F) or 6C (42.8F) pretty much anywhere and we are likely to see more widespread frost."

The cold snap is in sharp contrast to last month, which was both the wettest and warmest December on record, when temperatures averaged 7.9C (46.2F).

Andrew Proctor, director of advice and support at Asthma UK, said: "With very cold weather expected across much of the UK this week, particularly on Thursday, people with asthma need to take extra care.

"Cold air can have a severe impact on people with asthma. As many as three-quarters of people with asthma tell us it can trigger symptoms, making sensitive airways tighten up quickly and putting people at risk of a potentially life-threatening asthma attack.

"If you find cold weather makes your asthma worse, make sure you wrap up warm, carry your reliever inhaler, and know what to do if your symptoms get worse."

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