A school bus gets stuck
on Derringstone Hill in Barham on Tuesday morning following
overnight snow. Picture: Matthew Smith.

by Katie Alston

Canterbury and surrounding towns
and villages has been given a dusting of the white stuff
overnight with more snow expected to be dumped on the district
over the next few days.

Temperatures struggled to get above
one degree centigrade and are predicted to remain arctic, dropping
to minus 10 in the city on Friday night.

Despite the big freeze, the
majority of the district's schools have so far managed to
remain open. Only the Canterbury Steiner School in Chartham,
Aylesham Primary School, Petham Primary School and Luddenham
Primary School in Faversham were forced to close.

There was disruption for communters
on the trains on Tuesday morning. Passengers were warned to expect
delays on Southeastern between Ramsgate and St Pancras
International, between Faversham and London Bridge and between
Faversham and Victoria.

Delays of up to an hour were
expected between Dover Priory and Faversham and Dover Priory and
Victoria because of adverse weather conditions at Canterbury
East.

There were also long delays on A28
Island Road westbound between East View (Hersden) and the A291
Sturry Hill, with motorists told to add at least 30 minutes onto
their usual journey times.

Residents in Barham were called
into action to help free a stuck school bus.

The number 17, taking pupils to
Canterbury High School, had to abandon its journey around 8.15am
when it struggled to get through Derringstone Hill.

Matthew Smith captured the image at
the top of the page, when he heard children shouting from inside
his house.

He said: "It looked like the big
double decker bus had slid down the hill and up onto the pavement.
It was full of school children.

"As well as the one stuck in the middle, there was another at
the bottom and one at the top. It looks like they are going to have
to stay there until the snow clears a bit.

"The village looks very nice but its not very handy for those
wanting to get to work.

"The farmers have been down with the snow ploughs, but it looks
like rather than clearing it, they are just turning it to
slush."

Police have sent warnings to
motorists urging them to take "great care" over the next few days
as severe weather continues to be forecast.

Drivers are advised to be wary of
icy conditions when out on the area's roads, with poor driving
conditions predicted during the cold snap.

Roads policing chief inspector,
Andy Reeves, said: "Motorists should be prepared and allow extra
time for their journeys.

"Ensure you have warm clothing and
food and drink supplies with you. If the weather is severe, then
only travel if your journey is absolutely necessary.

"Pedestrians should also take great
care as icy conditions can be treacherous.

"If you have elderly or vulnerable
neighbours or relatives, then please remember to check on them to
ensure they are safe and well."

The latest road conditions and travel information are available on Kent Police's website and also on The Highways Agency website.

For information on weather conditions visit the Met Office website.

Swale Borough Council has warned
there will be some disruption to bin collections in some of the
rural parts of Faversham.

Council spokesman Mark James said:
"Our crews are out doing all that they can but it may well be that
they do not get to you today.

"Throughout this period of adverse
weather our advice remains the same, please continue to put the
correct bin out as usual.

"If it is not collected please
leave it out and we will get to it as soon as we can."

For updates visit www.swale.gov.uk/snow

Do you have any snowy pictures or tales of weather woes? Send us your snow pictures tokentishgazette@thekmgroup.co.uk