Flights resume at Gatwick Airport after snow disruption

The airport was forced to close after it was covered in a blanket of snow on Wednesday

Flights at Gatwick Airport have resumed after the runway was closed for two days because of the severe weather.

A 100-strong team worked to clear the snow and stop the runway from icing over as temperatures dropped.

The airport said it expected to see about 10 flights an hour but advised passengers to check with their airlines before travelling.

Andrew McCullum, of Gatwick Airport, said the weather had been unprecedented.

An airport spokesman said: "Passengers should expect delays and cancellations and it is likely to take a few days before flight schedules return to normal.

"Train services to and from the airport continue to be limited and road networks are likely to remain severely affected by the weather."

'Main routes passable'

The UK has been experiencing the earliest widespread snowfall since 1993.

The Gatwick Express has been suspended because of the wintry weather.

A spokesman said: "Due to continuing severe weather conditions Gatwick Express services are suspended until further notice.

"There are a limited number of Southern services stopping at Gatwick Airport Station."

Up to 10in (25cm) fell in parts of Sussex overnight, weather forecasters said

Elsewhere in Sussex, schools remain closed, train and bus services are running reduced services and police continue to advise drivers to only travel if necessary.

The main routes were passable with care but side roads and untreated roads were still potentially treacherous, police said.

Motorists have been urged to take extra care on Saturday as rain and sleet falls on frozen ground.

Southern Railway operated a reduced service on a limited number of routes while Southeastern also experienced major disruption.

Slippery streets cleared

Southern Railway said it was running a half-hourly service between Brighton and London Victoria and between London Bridge and Three Bridges.

It is also running services between Chichester and Brighton via Littlehampton and from Eastbourne to Brighton.

Brighton and Hove City Council said offenders were helping to make pavements safer.

The Probation Service was supervising people carrying out community service as they cleared slippery streets and entrances to council-run high-rise blocks at Albion Hill.

The Met Office said it would be mainly dry overnight but there could be outbreaks of rain, sleet or snow.