MORE than 40 schools across Suffolk were forced to close today after heavy snow fell overnight.Gusford Primary School, Chantry Junior School, Westbourne High School, and Thurleston High School were all closed while Chantry High School and Stoke High School were expected to open by 10am.

MORE than 40 schools across Suffolk were forced to close today after heavy snow fell overnight.

Gusford Primary School, Chantry Junior School, Westbourne High School, and Thurleston High School were all closed while Chantry High School and Stoke High School were expected to open by 10am.

Rob Neal, headteacher at Gusford Primary School, said: "The problem is we have quite a lot of staff who live a long way from school and I had to make a decision by 7am to 7.15am.

"At that time snow around the school was reported at four inches and there was heavy snowfall at the time. Given that a number of staff live a long way out and the roads weren't very good I had to take a decision.

"The weather forecast gave several weather warnings but it might have been different if I had taken the decision later.

"We usually stay open but I thought the likelihood was the weather was deteriorating.

"We have 600 pupils and if we have got 10 staff missing it is impossible."

Meanwhile the weather closed Chantry Junior School for the first time.

Wendy James, deputy headteacher, said: "We have only got four teachers who made it in and we can't safely run the school.

"Most of our teachers can't get here or are stuck in traffic."

Westbourne High School is believed to have been closed because of slippery sloped playgrounds while Bealings Primary in Little Bealings was closed because staff could not get into work.

School closures in Suffolk.

Bedfield Primary School in Woodbridge, Charsfield Primary in Woodbridge, Easton Primary School in Woodbridge, Peasenhall Primary in Saxmundham, Wickham Market Primary School, Bealings Primary School, Bentley Primary School, Bucklesham Primary School, Chantry Junior School, Sidegate Primary School, Somersham School, Claydon Primary School, Gusford Primary School, Henley School, Kersey Primay School, Morland Primary School, Murrayfield Primary School, Piper's Vale, Shotley Primary School, Somersham, St Mary's, Trimley St Martin, Waldringfield, Whitton, Claydon High School, East Bergholt High School, Thurleston High School, Westbourne High School, Heathside Special School, Thomas Wolsey, Parkside Pupil Referral Unit , St Christopher's Pupil Referral Unit, Creeting St Mary, Ringshall Primary School.

Schools in Lowestoft, Bungay and Bury St Edmunds were also closed.