Snow and ice lead to disruption at Luton Airport and schools

Schools have been shut in Luton after heavy overnight snow

London Luton Airport is asking passengers to check their flight status before travelling, due to the snow.

EasyJet said it was "doing everything possible" to ease the disruption for passengers affected by flight cancellations and alterations.

Snow has also caused widespread travel disruption on the roads and railways.

The M25, which closed overnight between junctions 23 (A1/Potters Bar) and 25 (A10/Enfield), has now reopened.

Drivers faced eight-hour delays overnight after lorries jack-knifed in the snow, National Highways said.

It was urging only "absolutely essential" travel on the roads in south-east England on Monday.

Stewart Turner, for National Highways' east of England region, said: "The motorway network is now open and traffic is moving after a challenging night.

"However, we would still urge drivers to take extra care when heading out today.

"Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice remain in place across large parts of the South East and East for the remainder of today and into Tuesday."

Luton Airport said the airport remained operational but passengers had been asked to check with airlines "following a number of weather-related delays".

Thameslink was also recommending rail passengers "only travel if absolutely essential this morning, disruption can be expected across all routes".

Earlier, Arriva Beds and Bucks said it was also "experiencing cancellations and delays due to the severe weather in the region."

Many schools have closed - check the local authority websites for Hertfordshire County Council, Bedford Borough, Central BedfordshireMilton Keynes Council, and Luton Council for the latest details.

Heather Noble and her son Joshua were off to post a letter before attempting to complete homework that had been set by his school

Bushmead Primary in Luton has sent pupils' homework to parents to oversee at home.

Heather Noble, who has a six-year-old son at the school, said she was notified of Bushmead's closure by email at 06:45 GMT.

"We are doing our best with six pieces of homework but are struggling to get snowmen done, homework done, and my own work," she said.

Meanwhile Dennis O'Sullivan, head teacher of Chauncy School in Ware, and his wife, who is also a head teacher, said they both tried to keep their schools open but it had not been possible.

"My deputy head in Hertford got up and tried to walk to school, which he does when it's snowing, and he slip-slided all the way, so the roads are treacherous for children to walk on," said Mr O'Sullivan.

"My wife who's a head teacher in Buntingford - I sent her off nice and early about half past six to get to school and she couldn't get out of our village."

Warning notices have been put up near a frozen lake in St Albans' Verulanium Park

'Absolute madness'

Gemma Rydqvist, from Bedford, was stuck on the M25 for more than twelve hours with her disabled mother and sister in the car for a journey that should have taken under two hours in total.

"It was just madness, absolute madness," she said.

"We know snow can be dangerous and tiring but I've never seen anything like it," she said.

"I left Colchester, got on the A12, but as soon as I hit the M25, it was just chaos. Th emergency services couldn't get through.

"We were trying to help each other... push the cars, trying to ensure that we don't hit each other, but unfortunately there were lots of crashes."

She said "it was very frightening" as her mother could not take her medication as they had no water.

"Luckily we made it home. We made it home safely," said Ms Rydqvist.

Gemma Rydqvist said drivers were trying to help each other but it was chaos on the M25 overnight

The Met Office has extended a yellow weather warning for snow and icy patches until 11:00 GMT on Tuesday.