Schools shut in snow fear

Dudley Council officers today said predicted heavy snowfall overnight would cause chaos on the borough's roads. Schools had not been informed of the closure until this afternoon.

Director of children's services John Freeman said: "Following advice from the Met office and the council's emergency planning department we have decided that it is in the best interests of health and safety for all schools in the borough to be closed tomorrow.

"This is because there are predictions of heavy disruptive snowfall during early morning rush hour and the advice is this snowfall will cause severe disruptions to traffic."

Dudley Council said schools are expected to reopen as normal on Friday.

Councillor Liz Walker, lead member for education said: "It is much better to do this earlier rather than later.

"We do not like closing schools as I think it is important to get a message to children but this is important because of the nature of the way children get to school these days.

"If parents are able to make alternative childcare arrangements this will take lots of traffic off the roads and enable people to get to work and the essential services to keep moving.

"It is better to do it this way than first thing tomorrow morning. I just hope that the weather forecasters are wrong."

West Midlands motorists were today being warned to check weather forecasts and road conditions as forecasters said up to 6in (15cm) of snow could fall by tomorrow's morning rush-hour.

The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for the whole of the region.

By Heather Loat