Snow and ice closes schools and disrupts travel on Isle of Man

Snowfall has closed several major routes on the island

Heavy snow and icy conditions have caused widespread disruption on the Isle of Man.

All schools have been closed and police have urged people to "stay at home unless absolutely necessary".

Manx Care said emergency response times were being "significantly impacted" by the road conditions and a raft of appointments had been cancelled.

An amber weather warning for snow and ice remains in place until midday on Wednesday, Ronaldsway Met Office said.

Chief Constable Gary Roberts has called on people to follow the advice not to travel as police were "responding to very many calls for assistance from drivers" across the island.

Icy conditions have led to several incidents on the island's roads

The Department of Infrastructure said gritters had been sent out to try and improve conditions on the island's roads.

The conditions have also affected bus services, with some routes in Douglas and Onchan described as "impassable" by Isle of Man Transport.

Police have urged people not to travel unless necessary

All outpatient, endoscopy and vaccine appointments have been cancelled today as a result of "critical staffing" issues caused by the travel disruption, Manx Care has said.

In a statement the health provider said responses to 999 calls would be "significantly impacted" as the ambulance service was operating at the "highest level of pressure" due to issues on the island's roads.

Patients booked for elective procedures and oncology treatment have been asked to contact admissions wards and the oncology unit, while community antenatal and postnatal clinics have been rescheduled.

Forecasters said the cold weather was due to continue into Wednesday

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) said the decision to close island schools had "not been taken lightly",

"The safety of pupils and staff travelling to and from school across the island is of paramount importance," a DESC spokesman said.

The National Sports Centre in Douglas has been closed, with all remaining indoor and outdoor bookings on Tuesday cancelled, he added.

The January sitting of Tynwald has also been postponed until Wednesday due to the conditions.

Ferries from the island have been unaffected by the snow and ice