Musgrove Park hospital in Taunton has again cancelled all routine operations for the rest of today and tomorrow.

"Our staff continue to go the extra mile to try to get in today", they said.

"We have seen many examples of fantastic community spirit with 4x4 drivers and farmers with tractors helping to take our staff to and from the hospital."

"Some of our staff stayed here overnight and many have walked long distances in the snow to ensure we could continue to provide the best possible care to our patients."

The hospital has appealed for any bank staff who may be able to work to call in.

Image source, PA

Tomorrow's Forest Green Rovers match at Crewe Alexandra is called off.

Both Wiltshire Police and the force in Avon and Somerset have declared a major emergency due to the number of drivers stranded on roads across the region.

In particular, the A303 remains seriously affected and efforts continue to help rescue hundreds of drivers and their passengers, trapped in cars overnight.

The M4 is particularly hazzardous around the hill before Junction 18, where lorries are struggling.

And the M5 in Somerset remains largely deserted.

A driver trapped by the snow in Chisledon near Swindon tells the BBC she is "tired and frustrated" and "I just want my bed".

Emergency response volunteers from the British Red Cross have been helping motorists stranded in their vehicles overnight on the A346 between Swindon and Marlborough.

Volunteers Tom Pawley, 20, and Jake Riches, 19, were on their way to help at a different incident on the A303 in Somerset when they came across up to 30 vehicles stranded in snowdrifts.

The two men drove their 4x4 to nearby supermarket and collected food and water for the motorists.

Diggers are now proceeding to move the snow so the motorists can get to safety.

Meanwhile, the NHS across Avon and Somerset has declared an emergency.

Health trusts across the region are asking people with 4X4s to get in touch if they can help transport patients and staff.

Conditions in Avon and Somerset remain treacherous following heavy and continued snowfall people should not be travelling, according to Avon and Somerset Police.

In a statement the force said: "We currently have 20 significant incidents across Avon and Somerset with people stranded in snow drifts.

"There are on-going multi agency operations, which started overnight, continuing to help those who are stranded."

Police are urging stranded drivers to stay in their vehicles, call for assistance and wait for help to arrive.

Abandoning vehicles can hamper the efforts of emergency services

Bristol Airport says staff are working hard to re-open the runway this afternoon.

They hope that flights that have not already been cancelled may be able to go ahead.

But "road conditions at and around the airport remain challenging" they say.

Bus and coach services have been cancelled to the airport, so any passengers needing to fly will need to get there under their own steam - with caution.

Ian Fergusson
Weather presenter

Sizeable drifts, in upland areas especially, will remain a feature throughout today, with the risk of additional snow worsening the situation in some areas.

We have seen some freezing rain and ice pellets overnight affecting southernmost areas, giving a dangerous ice glaze in some places.

Today’s forecast is not as clear-cut as Thursday, but it’ll certainly remain cold and generally windy.

This afternoon another band of precipitation will move north giving a renewed risk of further snow across many parts of southern England and Wales.

A Met Office Yellow Warning for snow and ice remains in force today across all of the region.

By late evening and into tonight we will be finally waving goodbye - good riddance? to this historic saga in our region: any last snow will be petering out; there will be some rain/freezing rain in places; risk of ice inevitably by Saturday morning.

Conditions remain very difficult on the roads across the West Country and will be for some time. Drivers are still being urged to stay at home if at all possible.

Wiltshire

A303 blocked between Chicklade and Mere.

A346 Chiselden is closed due to snow between the B4005 New Road and Woolmer Drove.

A350 Warminster closed due to snow between A36 / B3414 Bath Road (Services roundabout) and B3098 Warminster Road.

Somerset

A358 in both directions closed due to snow between Minehead Road (Bishops Lydeard) and New Road (West Bagborough).

A37 Shepton Mallet Kilver Street Hill blocked due to snow around A361 Charlton Road (Charlton Crossroads).

A371 Prestleigh, Prestleigh Hill blocked due to snow around B3081 Prestleigh Road.

A303 Ilminster in both directions is closed due to snow between A358 / B3168 Station Road (Southfields roundabout, Ilminster) and A30 (Upottery).

A30 in both directions blocked due to snow between East Street (Milborne Port) and A357 Ash End (Henstridge).

Gloucestershire

M5 Northbound: heavy traffic and one lane closed due to jackknifed lorry on M5 Northbound between J12 B4008 (Quedgeley/Hardwicke) and J11A.

M48 Severn Bridge: one lane closed due to strong winds in both directions between J1 and the A403

A40 in both directions closed due to snow between A429 (Northleach) and A436 (Andoversford)

A40 Compton Abdale blocked due to snow between A436 / A40 and A429.

A417 Cirencester Road is blocked due to snow between Horcott Road / Coronation Street (Fairford) and Bell Lane (Poulton).

A429 Bourton-on-the-Water blocked due to snow around A436 Old Gloucester Road.

A435 blocked due to snow around Voxwell Lane, between Bishops Cleeve and Thetherington Hands.

A435 closed due to snow between B4079 (Oxenton) and Voxwell Lane (Bishop's Cleeve).

Closed A46 in both directions closed due to snow between M4 J18 (Bath / Tormarton) and A4 London Road West / London Road West.

A4136 Nailbridge blocked due to snow at Morse Road.

In a statement South Western Trains said: "We’d like to apologise to passengers trapped on trains overnight on the South Western Railway network due to extreme weather.

“All passengers were removed from trains earlier this morning, but the ongoing extreme weather meant emergency services were not able to evacuate people sooner.

“We are asking people not to travel across the South Western Railway network today unless absolutely essential. Services across the route will also be stopping early this evening."

Meanwhile Cross Country trains say passengers unable to travel today will be able to use their tickets at any point over the weekend.

Sledgers - young and old - were up early this morning to get the fresh piste at Perrett's Park in Bristol - it's more well-known as a place to watch hot air balloons.

It's definitely a day for sledges and not for cars.

Interim boss Matt Taylor is determined to maintain Swindon's promotion push following the departure of David Flitcroft.