Two school buses crash on icy roads as UK prepares for Storm Goretti

Two buses full of school children have crashed on icy roads as a deep freeze continues to grip the UK ahead of more heavy snowfall expected from Storm Goretti.

The Met Office had warned there would be an “icy start” to Wednesday with yellow weather warnings in force across much of the UK, and it has issued more urgent warnings for Thursday.

In Berkshire, emergency services were called to the A3290 exit slip road, near the Sutton Seeds roundabout in Earley, Wokingham, in the morning after a road traffic collision involving a Reading bus and a school coach.

According to the South Central Ambulance Service, nine children, the driver of the coach, and eight adults from the bus all suffered minor injuries.

Two patients, one of whom is a school child, have since been taken to Royal Berkshire Hospital for further treatment.

A spokesperson for the service said a member of their team reported the road conditions were “very icy” at the scene.

Meanwhile, Kent Police were called to Chilmington Green, Ashford, soon after 8am after a school bus left the road and ended up in a ditch.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service said the bus was believed to have “slipped” off the road due to black ice.

In a statement, police said that there are “no reported injuries”.

While temperatures are expected to be slightly warmer on Wednesday, with dry weather and sunny spells, it remains cold with icy surfaces.

Meteorologist Alex Burkill said there are “a lot of slippery conditions out there”, which is “worth factoring in if you’re about to head out the door”.

Sleet and snow showers are expected across northern Scotland, and the Met Office said thicker cloud with rain is expected to arrive across Northern Ireland, south-west Wales and south-west England later in the day.

The north and east will see frost overnight, with some “freezing fog patches”, and rain is expected in the west with some snow in the north, according to the forecasters.

Thursday will see a cloudy and cold start to the day with wintry weather as Storm Goretti, named by Meteo France, comes in from the south west.

Mr Burkill said: “Storm Goretti is on its way, arriving later tomorrow and affecting us through tomorrow and into Friday, bringing some strong winds and some significant snow to central and perhaps southern parts.”

The meteorologist said the storm will bring “wet, windy and wintry weather” to parts of the UK.

“As that rain pushes its way and it hits against that cold air that we currently have across us… and so on the northern edge, we are likely to see some fairly significant snow as we go through later tomorrow and into Friday,” he added.

Mr Burkill said exactly how far north this travels is “all to play for”, adding: “Exactly where we see that significant snow, that’s still a little bit uncertain, but the risk is there.”

Met Office chief forecaster Neil Armstrong described Storm Goretti as a “multi-hazard event”, with heavy rain, strong winds and snow.

He said 5-10cm of snow is likely widely in Wales and the Midlands, with 15-25cm in some places, and a potential for up to 30cm very locally.

Strong winds with gusts of 50-60mph will likely affect south-western areas on Thursday afternoon and evening, with gusts of 60-70mph along exposed hills and coasts, the Met Office said.

A yellow snow warning has been issued for a large part of England and much of Wales, and will be in place from 6pm on Thursday until midday on Friday.

The Met Office said this might lead to heavy snow which will cause disruption and difficult travelling conditions.

Mr Burkill said 20cm or more of snow could settle, adding that is “enough to cause some severe disruption”.

The Met Office has issued an amber warning for heavy snow from Thursday evening into Friday, covering parts of Wales, the Midlands and South Yorkshire.

The snowfall, brought by Storm Goretti, will mean trains and planes could be delayed or cancelled, rural communities may be cut off, and power cuts or disruption to mobile signal are likely, forecasters said.

The warning stretches from Sheffield in the north, down to Leicester, across much of the West Midlands and into Wales.

It comes into force at 8pm on Thursday and ends at 9am on Friday.

An amber wind warning from 5pm to 11pm on Thursday has been issued across parts of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, as forecasters warn of 80-90 mph gusts in “exposed places”.

A yellow rain warning has been issued across the east of England from 6pm on Thursday to 9pm on Friday, and west Wales from midday on Thursday to 10am on Friday.

Amber cold weather health alerts have been issued by the UK Health Security Agency until January 11.

Pictures show instructor Mick Ellerton climbing a waterfall in Gordale Scar, near Malham Cove in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, which has frozen over completely.

Meanwhile, a lorry was left perched on a steep bank in Nottingham after leaving the road and smashing through a fence at an industrial estate.

Alice Simpson, from RAC breakdown, said drivers in areas worst affected by Storm Goretti need to consider “if it’s safe to get behind the wheel”.

The AA is urging drivers to take extreme care as Storm Goretti approaches, adding that they need to “approach every journey with heightened caution”.

Shaun Jones, AA expert patrol, said: “If forecasts show heavier snow or stronger winds moving into your area, consider delaying your journey or working from home where appropriate.”

Hundreds of schools across the UK have been forced to close this week due to the cold and icy weather conditions.

Data from Virgin Media O2 showed broadband traffic was up by 17.4% on Tuesday compared with the same Tuesday last year, suggesting more workers stayed at home instead of risking their commute to the office.