TRAFFIC chaos gripped Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale today as winter swept in with a vengeance.

Snow, sleet and fierce gusts made conditions hazardous for motorists and treacherous underfoot while schools closed, buses were delayed and main roads were gridlocked with traffic.

Police reported a surge of minor accidents as motorists struggled to work.

Burnley town centre's Manchester Road and Centenary Way were closed in the morning rush hour as the weight of traffic brought movement to a halt.

A police spokesman said: "Conditions are horrendous and there are bumps and bashes all over the place."

But a police road traffic spokesman praised motorists on the care they took in atrocious conditions.

He said: "There have been no major accidents and traffic is moving slowly and sensibly on the motorway and main roads."

The first snows of the winter brought further misery for bus users, stranded yesterday as drivers in Burnley and Pendle staged a one-day strike and who found morning services today delayed by 40 minutes.

A Stagecoach Ribble spokesman said four of their buses were stranded in the Manchester Road snarl-up.

In Rawtenstall - often the worst hit in severe conditions - police said Manchester Road, closed for a time because of traffic build-ups, had reopened by 9am.

"Conditions are bad and we are advising great care," said a spokesman. Burnley Council road treatment crews gritted all main and secondary roads through the night with two vehicles continuing the exercise early today.

Despite the gritting, Barden Lane and the main Burnley-Nelson road were severely restricted by the snow which arrived shortly after 4am.

Pendle escaped the worst of the winter Weather although side roads were treacherous and the police advised drivers to use extreme caution.

Weather experts said East Lancashire bore the brunt of the weather. The wintry blast closed several schools, with teaching staff telling youngsters not to turn up, or sending them home at 9am.

School closures included Burnley's Walshaw High School during the morning and all day at Fearns High School, Stacksteads; Calder View and Westway special schools, Burnley; Haslingden St James' primary; Staghill, Rawtenstall and Hillside nursery, Haslingden; Rossendale pupil referral unit.

Alder Grange High School, Rawtenstall was closed until 11.45am because of the weather and boiler problems.

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