by Martin Jefferies

The snow that brought chaos to other parts of Kent this week
finally arrived in Thanet on Thursday morning, causing widespread
disruption across the isle.

Snow continued to fall all day in Margate, Broadstairs and
Ramsgate, with several inches now on the ground in most places.

Temperatures plunged well below freezing overnight, allowing ice
to form on pavements and roads across the isle.

Outpatient appointment clinics at the Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital, Margate, were cancelled on Thursday, although urgent cases were still seen by medical staff. A spokesman for the East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust said affected patients would be contacted directly to arrange a new appointment.

Meanwhile, the weather caused the cancellation of a number of

popular events, including the Christmas Parade in Margate, which

was due to take place on Friday. The event has been rescheduled as

a New Year Parade and will take place at 5pm on Friday, January

7.

A lights switch-on at St Paul's Church in Northdown Road,
Cliftonville, was also postponed until next week, while a Christmas
Fair at Birchington Primary School has been rescheduled from Friday
until next Wednesday.

Public transport was badly affected, with the majority of Stagecoach bus services cancelled. However, the Thanet Loop continued to run between Ramsgate railway station and Wheeatsheaf via Margate and Westwood Cross, as did The Breeze (number 8) between Canterbury and Wheatsheaf via Cecil Square and the number 34 between Birchington and Ramsgate via Newington Road, although all three services were subject to alterations and delays.

Southeastern ran an emergency train timetable. High speed trains between Ramsgate, Ashford and London St Pancras were operating, as were those between Ramsgate and Dover and Ramsgate and Margate. However, all trains were subject to short notice cancellations and delays. There was no service at all between Ramsgate and London Victoria, London Bridge or London Cannon Street.

Elsewhere, waste and recycling collections were suspended. Thanet council said it will prioritise the collection of black sacks as it attempts to cope with the backlog.

Mark Seed, director of environmental services at the council,

said: "Although our staff were able to get into work, the problem

was getting our trucks out on the road to make the collections. We

have 26-ton vehicles and once those start to skid on an icy road,

it's almost impossible to stop them."

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Insp Mark Pearson of Kent Police was a live studio guest on the kmfm for Thanet breakfast show on Thursday morning.

He told presenter Johnny Lewis that drivers should not travel
unlesss absolutely necessary. Motorists travelling even short
distances should carry a shovel, torch, warm clothing and a
fully-charged mobile phone, he warned.

There were delays for drivers heading further afield,
with the M2, M20 and M26 all affected. The A299 Thanet Way was
passable with care.

Postal services were also disrupted across the isle, with the Royal Mail warning that some of its deliveries and collections would be limited or made later than normal.