Feb 6, 2009, 15:29 GMT
London - Heavy snowfalls caused traffic chaos, airport closures and power cuts in wide parts of Britain Friday as the emergency services were called in to rescue drivers trapped in their cars in icy conditions.
After five days of snowfalls and blizzards, which brought London to a complete standstill earlier this week, the severe winter weather Friday hit the south-west of England and Wales.
Snowfalls of between 30 and 55 centimetres were recorded in the affected regions of Britain, a country unaccustomed to harsh winters.
Police, the army and emergency services were called in to rescue some 200 people trapped in their cars on a major road near the City of Exeter, in south-west Britain.
The nearby cities of Bristol and Bath were also severely affected. Bristol airport was closed, along with Luton airport, north of London, while delays were reported from London's Stansted airport due to snow clearance.
Thousands of schools remained shut and at least 30,000 households were without power in the western counties of Devon and Somerset, the authorities said.
In Cornwall, a young couple were saved after holding out for 12 hours in an upturned car.
The authorities have warned drivers to stay off the roads and urged travellers to reconsider journeys by train, coach or plane.
Meanwhile, as more snow is being forecast, motoring associations have warned of 'death traps' on the roads as salt supplies for gritting roads are running low.
This week's severe winter weather is the worst seen in Britain since the early 1990s.
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