MORE snow is expected to fall in parts of Kent during the next 24 hours, especially tonight. Drivers will face difficulties in some areas with freezing fog expected.

Most the main roads in the county are running freely but scores of country routes are still badly affected.

Network Rail announced that train services are likely to remain largely unaffected by the weather today with only the Dover to Canterbury route disrupted.

Cloudier weather tonight will result in an increase in temperatures but it is likely to stay cold until Saturday at least.

Gillingham FC's game at Swansea on Wednesday night was called off several hours before the kick-off because of the condition of the pitch.

But most sympathy was reserved for Charlton supporters who learnt that the game at Newcastle would be postponed only 25 minutes before the scheduled start because the roads around St James' Park had become dangerous.

Newcastle officials said the pitch itself had passed a late inspection.

MEANWHILE, it has been revealed that the heavy snow falls will make little difference to underground and reservoir water supplies which are at worrying low levels, says Mid Kent Water.

It and other water companies in east Kent are reminding consumers that a total hosepipe ban remains in place until further notice.

They are anxious that if the relatively dry winter continues it could create severe shortages in the summer when demand is at its highest.

Mid Kent Water asset director Paul Seeley explained: “Nearly 90 per cent of our water supplies comes from underground aquifers but the snow has little effect on the levels.

“The whole of the southern region is now the driest since the drought of 1976 and we are relying on winter rainfall to help replenish supplies.

“Even the only reservoir at Bewl Water we can get supplies from is just 35 per cent full.”

The fears have been echoed by farmer and weather watcher Tom Castle from Petham who has been keeping daily rainfall records for more than 50 years.

He said: “I don’t think people realise how serious the situation is. Ground water levels are low and falling and unless we have a lot of persistant rainfall, I wouldn’t be surprised to see water rationing in the summer.”