Bus routes cut, sledging and snowmen as snow causes disruption

Bus routes were changed and residents built snowmen and took to their sledges as the cold snap continued to bite today.

The snow fell steadily across Bradford all day to end the first week of lockdown, as temperatures struggled to reach just above freezing.

This weather also led to three schools making the decision to close to all pupils, including key worker and vulnerable children.

Queensbury

St John and Evangelist Catholic Primary School, in Beacon Road, and St Winefride's Catholic Primary Academy, in St Paul's Avenue, were both closed all day due to heavy snowfall.

Beckfoot Upper Heaton, off Thorn Lane, closed its vulnerable and key worker provision from 12pm today, due to the snow.

Queensbury, in particular, was covered in snow, but the wintry conditions were also felt at lower levels of the district.

First West Yorkshire reported the weather conditions in Allerton made it unserviceable for its buses to travel for a time this afternoon. This temporarily include no service to Saffron Drive/Bell Dean Road.

A snowman in Bradford

Buses could also not reach Eldwick this afternoon, as First's 616/619 was forced to terminate at Bingley.

The snow also brought its fair share of other problems on the road.

Traffic Dave, as the West Yorkshire Roads Policing Unit officer is known on social media, tweeted a van had to be rescued on the northbound M606 this morning due to the snow.

West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service urged residents to extra care if they needed to go out for essential reasons or for exercise to adhere to the lockdown restrictions.

Telegraph & Argus readers sent in their pictures of the snowy scenes in places including Eccleshill, Undercliffe, Wibsey and Queensbury.

Snowy scene at Bradford Moor Golf Club

But after temperatures plunged to a low of -4 tonight, the weekend is looking a bit brighter and milder.

A yellow weather warning for ice remains in place tomorrow for large parts of the UK, including Bradford, according to the Met Office.

Residents have been warned to be careful both on roads and footpaths.

Temperatures tomorrow will only reach above freezing from noon as the cloudy conditions of today are set to make way for crisp winter sunshine.

Sunday is set to be a milder day with temperatures in Bradford set to reach a high of 6C in the afternoon and a cloudy and dry day.

Today's snow also caused practical problems for some of the district's residents.

Bradford Council tweeted: "If your bin is due to be emptied today please bear with our crews who are struggling due to the difficult weather conditions. If they don't get to you please leave your bin out and they will try again. No need to report it as they are keeping notes of where they need to go back."