County bracing itself for worst weekend of winter

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AS THE TOWN braces itself for one of the coldest weekends of the winter, residents are being offered help and advice to keep them safe in any pending snow.

Between two and five centimetres is predicted to fall for several hours from 1pm on Saturday before turning to rain which is expected to persist until the early hours of Sunday morning.

Gritting teams are already set to hit the streets over the next 24 hours and will treat about 800 miles of road as temperatures drop below zero. They will then return to depots and be fixed with snow ploughs ready to head out again and clear roads from lunchtime.

Jon Fraser, the county council's customer response manager, said: "The MET Office are predicting the first real significant snowfall of the winter to hit Worcestershire tomorrow afternoon so we'll certainly be kept busy. It's expected to be very cold before and after the snowfall so, as is usually the case, we're asking motorists to take care and temper their driving according to the conditions.

"The simple message to everyone is to never assume it's safe to travel at normal speeds even if you think a road has been treated with salt."

The simple tips offered by West Midlands Ambulance Service include advising residents to wrap up warm and wear sensible footwear to ensure there are no unnecessary slips, trips and falls.

Those going on long journeys should take food, such as chocolate, and a warm drink with them in case the weather does take a turn for the worse.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman also urged drivers to allow extra time for their journey and be extra vigilant on icy roads.

“We also appeal for people to be aware of those who are elderly, frail or in some way vulnerable to this type of weather, be it friends, neighbours or relatives.

"Why not show some community spirit and ensure that people in these categories do not have to go out and risk hurting themselves by getting in any essential supplies that they might need?

“No-one wants to be a misery but although snow and ice can be a huge amount of fun, it can also be quite dangerous. Clearly playing on frozen lakes and canals can have tragic consequences if people fall on or through ice, equally we see people becoming injured in sledging accidents.

“The ambulance service historically experiences some of its busiest periods during winter, the public are asked to think before dialing 999, is your call really a serious life threatening emergency that requires an immediate 999 medical response?''