UK snow: Up to 100 cars stuck on Bodmin Moor road

Drivers have got out of their cars on the A30 in Cornwall

Paul Newman Drivers on A30 — Drivers have got out of their cars on the A30 in Cornwall

Up to 100 vehicles became trapped on a main road in Cornwall amid heavy snow.

Drivers said they were stuck on the A30 on Bodmin Moor from about 15:30 GMT after "significant snowfall" hit the area.

Police urged stranded motorists to stay in their vehicles after some abandoned their cars, and warned others to avoid "all but absolutely essential" travel.

Highways England said traffic had begun to move again, albeit "very slowly", just after 23:00 GMT.

An HGV which had been blocking the road near Haldon Hill, causing tailbacks, has been moved, the agency said.

Driver Paul Newman said traffic started to move slowly on the A30 until it came to a standstill near Blisland.

"There is a lorry across the road. Now that everybody has stopped, it is going to be difficult for lorries to get going again," he said.

"At the moment we've no idea what's going on really. The chap in the car in front of us was just throwing snowballs to his dog."

Drivers have been stuck for about five hours on the A30

Mark Way Drivers on the A30 — Drivers have been stuck for about five hours on the A30

Devon and Cornwall Police said there were hazardous driving conditions across the county, with multiple accidents reported.

Meanwhile, about 400 students were left stranded at Callywith College in Bodmin.

Principal Mark Wardle said buses had not been able to get to the sixth-form college, and catering staff were providing sausages, chips and beans to those awaiting assistance.

Wheelchair tennis player Peter Norfolk, who has won seven Grand Slam singles titles and two Paralympic gold medals, posted photos on social media after being stranded in the same area for more than an hour.

"I haven't seen any sign of gritters or a snow plough," he said. "I wish I had my wheelblades [skis for wheelchairs] or off-road wheels with me!"

Double Paralympic gold medallist Peter Norfolk is among the motorists stuck in the snow

Peter Norfolk man in wheelchair in the snow — Double Paralympic gold medallist Peter Norfolk is among the motorists stuck in the snow

Some motorists have been stranded on the A30 at Alternun for nearly four hours

Steve Instance queuing traffic in snow — Some motorists have been stranded on the A30 at Alternun for nearly four hours

Steve Instance, a senior RNLI officer, said he had been stuck on the A30 at Alternun for nearly four hours.

Staff at Jamaica Inn near Launceston, which was made famous by Daphne Du Maurier's classic novel of the same name, have laid mattresses out on the floor.

"We originally had seven rooms booked tonight - we now have all 37 booked," said manager Sammy Wheeler.

"We've made up 15 beds in the lower restaurant, with another five in the lounge, and there are 10 or 12 people sleeping in the bar.

"We have a poorly baby with a heart condition that one of our staff helped to bring up out of their car. We've kicked one of our other residents out of their room so that baby can have a bed.

"People are still coming in and we're going to stay open all night so people can just keep coming."

Staff at Jamaica Inn have laid out more than 30 makeshift beds for stranded motorists

Jamaica Inn beds on the floor of a pub — Staff at Jamaica Inn have laid out more than 30 makeshift beds for stranded motorists

Heavy snow also caused drivers to come to a standstill further west on the A30, near Newquay at about 15:00 GMT.

The snow is expected to move eastwards into Devon, and an amber alert is in place warning of delays on the roads and rail cancellations.