Drivers spend night sleeping in their cars as coldest December on record shuts roads and airports

Millions of Britons were Facing travel Chaos today as snow and ice left Motorways and airports closed and train services disrupted.

Heath row Airport has cancelled all flights between 10am and 5pm today,with Further Problems at Gatwick and in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Overnight blizzards and Plummeting temperatures buckled a huge Chunk of the country's road, air and rail networks on the busiest weekend for travel and Shopping before Christmas.

As the Mercury plunged, hundreds of drivers were forced to spend the night in their cars on the M6 after a lorry jackknifed at midnight.

The North West was hit with deluges of up to 10in of snow while parts of the south were also blanketed overnight, with blizzard expected in parts of the South East and Midlands today.

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Lancashire Police have declared a Major incident area in the region and Warned People to avoid the M6, which was closed after a lorry jacknifed.

Commuter Stephen Derbyshire was stuck for five hours on the M6 in Greater Manchester after heavy snowstorm overnight.

 The northbound carriageway was closed between junctions 22 and 27 was not expected to reopen until this morning.

The southbound carriageway is also experiencing delays between junctions 28 and 26 due to heavy snow.

A lot of snow also fell in the South West during the night and it will increasingly move into the South East and parts of the Midlands and East Anglia throughout the day.

There could be local accumulation of 20-25cm. Temperatures will struggle to get over freezing and although the snow should ease off tonight, it will return to eastern areas on Sunday.

Mr Seltzer predicted that it could be the coldest December on record, with a current average temperature of minus 0.7. That sits at five degrees below the long-term average.

Travel misery also hit the airports. A Heathrow Airport spokesman said: 'Severe disruption is expected today at all London airports.

As a result all flights departing from London Heathrow will be cancelled between 1000 and 1700 UK time. Please do not travel to the airport if you are due to depart between these times.

Passengers were advised not to go to the airport unless they had a confirmed booking on a new flight.

Easy jet cancelled all flights from Gatwick Airport between 6am and 10am.

Belfast City Airport was closed last night while Belfast International Airport resumed flights overnight but said delays and cancellation were expected today.

Severe weather across the UK may still cause travel problems so if you are due to travel please check with your airline before leave-taking for the airport for the updated status of your flight.

Flights from Exeter, London City, Aberdeen and Cardiff were also disrupted.

A spokesman for Gatwick Airport said there would also be disruption as snow showers move over the South East today.

Gatwick's landing strip remains open, however we are expecting significant snowfall for much of today and into the early evening,' said the spokesman.

Weather disturbance has lead to delays and cancellations across Europe, with airports including Amsterdam, Geneva, Munich and Copenhagen among those disrupted.

All of this has impacted the operation of airlines at Gatwick. Our advice to passenger is to check with their airline before setting out for the airport.'

On the rail network, South West train is management an amend service.

A lot of snow also fell in the South West during the night and it will increasingly move into the South East and parts of the Midlands and East Anglia throughout the day.

There could be local accumulation of 20-25cm. Temperatures will struggle to get over freezing and although the snow should ease off tonight, it will return to eastern areas on Sunday.

Mr Seltzer predicted that it could be the coldest December on record, with a current average temperature of minus 0.7. That sits at five degrees below the long-term average.

Travel misery also hit the airports. A Heathrow Airport spokesman said: 'Severe disruption is expected today at all London airports.

As a result all flights departing from London Heathrow will be cancelled between 1000 and 1700 UK time. Please do not travel to the airport if you are due to depart between these times.'

Passengers were advised not to go to the airport unless they had a confirmed booking on a new flight.

Easy jet cancelled all flights from Gatwick Airport between 6am and 10am.

Belfast City Airport was closed last night while Belfast International Airport resumed flights overnight but said delays and cancellation were expected today.

Severe weather across the UK may still cause travel problems so if you are due to travel please check with your airline before leave-taking for the airport for the updated status of your flight.

Flights from Exeter, London City, Aberdeen and Cardiff were also disrupted.

A spokesman for Gatwick Airport said there would also be disruption as snow showers move over the South East today.

Gatwick's landing strip remains open, however we are expecting significant snowfall for much of today and into the early evening,' said the spokesman.

Weather disturbance has lead to delays and cancellations across Europe, with airports including Amsterdam, Geneva, Munich and Copenhagen among those disrupted.

All of this has impacted the operation of airlines at Gatwick. Our advice to passenger is to check with their airline before setting out for the airport.'

On the rail network, South West train is management an amend service.