IT WAS a miserable start for those heading back to work today after the Christmas holidays as they faced snow blizzards and treacherous driving conditions.

Neil Puffett

IT WAS a miserable start for those heading back to work today after the Christmas holidays as they faced snow blizzards and treacherous driving conditions.

The wintry weather meant many across the county were confronted with poor conditions on the roads as they navigated their way to work or school.

Although just a light dusting of snow fell overnight, blizzards continued in the morning, meaning caution was needed on icy roads.

It comes as news emerged of Britain facing the hardest winter for decades. Over the weekend temperatures plummeted as low as -7C at night and struggled to reach above zero during the day.

In Oxfordshire it dropped as low as -9C on Saturday night and the south-east of England and the Midlands were warned to brace themselves for ice and snow.

Early today, commuters on the A14 and A12 had to drive slowly as oncoming sleet distorted vision and even hid the lines in the road.

At 7am a vehicle came off the road on the A14 westbound carriageway near Trimley St Martin and careered into a field. Police said no one was injured in the crash and the car was quickly recovered.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Police warned drivers to take care on the roads considering the conditions.

She said: “We would advise drivers to slow down and drive according to the weather conditions. The weather forecast we have received is drizzly rain, sleet or light snow, leading to icy conditions on untreated routes so drivers should take care.”

Evening Star weatherman Ken Blowers said although Suffolk was expected to avoid heavy snow today, temperatures will remain chilly for the rest of the week.

The highest temperature this week is likely to be around 2C - well below the January average of 6C.

The recent cold spell is predicted to continue into this week as daytime temperatures struggle to climb above freezing. Tonight temperatures could drop to -4C.

Mr Blowers said: “It is coming down from the north on a weak cold front.

“The outlook is that the cold weather will go on for the whole of this coming week.

“There is no sign at all of anything that isn't cold.

“This is because there will be a high pressure system directly over the UK full of cold air meaning the cold spell will go on.”

Mr Blowers said Saturday morning was the coldest morning so far this winter with the temperature dropping to a low of -7C.

He said the current cold spell - which began before Christmas, has bucked the trend of recent winters.

He added: “The last three or four winters have been mainly mild. Over the last five or six winters we have had just two or three days of snow.”