SNOWFALLS in South East Cornwall in recent days finally allowed the area to get a taste of the wintry conditions being experienced across a large part of the rest of the UK. 

As some of the pictures on this page show, for hundreds of delighted primary school children it meant a day off school and a chance for some fun in the snow.

Eleven schools – Quethiock, Upton Cross, Pensilva, Darite, St Cleer, Trewidland, Stoke Climsland. Trenode, Duloe, Braddock and Cardinham – were closed for the day on Tuesday. Five schools – St Neot, Dobwalls, Calstock, Callington and Pelynt – opened later in the morning, however.

There were heavier snowfalls in some areas than others, especially in the villages close to Bodmin Moor, and Callington was the hardest-hit town.

But the major problem was treacherous ice which marooned many motorists on their own front drives and made it impossible to drive out of housing estates.

The A38 between Trerulefoot and Island Shop, just outside Liskeard, was down to one slow-moving lane of traffic in both directions due to a heavy snow fall and ice until about 10.30am on Tuesday, when it was finally cleared. There were also problems at Antony, near Torpoint, and on routes around Callington

There were long tailbacks over the Tamar Bridge and back into Cornwall for commuters trying to reach Plymouth.

Many were caught up in the aftermath of multiple crashes which occurred on the A38 at Plymouth Parkway earlier in the morning after hail fell on top of ice.

The busy route was closed for the day and it was announced on Wednesday that a motorist involved in one of the accidents had died from his

injuries.