WEATHER forecasters are predicting that up to 10cm of snow could fall in parts of Kent during the next 24 hours.

People living in the east of the county are likely to be worst hit.

Snow ploughs have been working overtime to keep traffic moving on the main roads. Scores of country roads are said to be blocked and treacherous.

The cold nights are likely to continue, causing problems with icy roads until the weekend when the weather is expected to turn milder.

Brian Carter, from Kent Highways, said the chief fear is that temperatures may fall to as low as -3C.

Kent Police are asking people not to travel "unless absolutely necessary".

The Highways Agency has urged motorists to listen to local travel and weather reports and to delay their journeys, if possible.

A spokesman for the agency stressed that if motorists do travel they should ensure they have warm clothes, boots, a de-icer, a scraper, a spade, food and drink.

Kent County Council responded immediately to a flash warning of snow on the way before the bad weather set.

Salting of all A and B roads began at 6am on Tuesday and was completed before the heavy snowsfalls that night. The gritters were out again early next morning and had salted most C-roads by 7am.

KCC spokesman Phil Scrivener said: “In addition we salted many minor roads where there was a particular need, such as by hospitals or nursing homes. Various agencies were ringing in to our call centre throughout the day with requests for assistance to which we responded.”

With forecasts of 10cm of snow across the county and up to 20cm on high ground such as The Downs, and the Boughton ridge, the county council has also had the additional support of 250 farmers across the county, who are contracted to supply snow ploughs in emergencies, standing by.