SNOW forced the closure of many schools in the Romsey and Stockbridge areas today.

They included schools at Lockerley, Awbridge, Nursling, Hursley, Barley, Ampfield, Copythorne, Cupernham, King's Somborne, Knightwood Primary at Valley Park, Stockbridge, Stroud School in Romsey, West Tytherley, Test Valley at Stockbridge, Nomansland and Hamptworth, Halterworth and Mountbatten School in Romsey.

Romsey School was open to those who reach it on foot.

Hampshire Collegiate School at East Wellow, Sparsholt College and Peter Symonds College at Winchester were also casualties of the weather.

Generally, about two inches of snow fell across Romsey and the surrounding area during the early hours of today. But in places accumulations were higher-particularly in the mid-Test Valley. Roads in country districts were treacherous with widespread ice.

A lorry jack-knifed and went off a road at Brook in the New Forest during the icy conditions.