Snow causes problems

Some 115 passengers have been rescued from a train that became stranded in snowdrifts as bad weather continues to batter the North.

Travellers were stuck for six hours on board the Glasgow-Inverness service after heavy snow forced the train to grind to a halt in the Highlands.

Police said the winter conditions and remote location had made a rescue attempt difficult.

Rain, wind and blizzards swept the north of Britain yesterday, cutting power, stranding motorists and causing travel chaos.

The train became stuck at around 8.20pm yesterday at Blackmount, between Carrbridge and Slochd stations.

The passengers were eventually transferred to a rescue train.

A First ScotRail spokesman said: "People have been on board for about six hours - they are tired and fed up.

"But the driver has said no one is in distress."

In Lanarkshire, schoolgirl Natasha Jade Paton was killed when a coach bound for Alton Towers plunged 10ft into a stream during a snow storm.

In Glenshane Pass, County Londonderry, around 300 people had to be rescued from their vehicles which became stranded in snow, including a bus carrying 20 schoolchildren.

Officers, mountain rescue and the coastguard worked to lead them to safety at a nearby leisure centre - which was then hit by a power cut.

About 100,000 homes in the province were hit by power cuts after high winds brought down power lines and poles, while in Scotland more than 20,000 homes were left without electricity.

And the weather is unlikely to improve over the Easter weekend.

On Good Friday a band of rain is expected to move westwards across Britain.

Easter Saturday is forecast to be a day of wind and showers, while Easter Sunday will see the best of the holiday weather, with temperatures reaching 12C (54F) in southern England.

Around two million Britons will flee the country over the weekend, with Spain and its islands the most popular spots for a break away, said travel organisation Abta.

Yes we're in April and britian has been hit with more snow, which again has brought parts of the North to a stand still.
As it always does in this country when it snows...we had a quick snow shower this morning, but nothing like the very north has had.

I'm sure the saying is april showers not april snow showers