Snowy Britain

Solihull comes to a standstill after heavy snowfall

Feb 4 2009 David Irwin
snow

HEAVY snowfall brought Solihull to a standstill this week as all borough schools were closed and refuse collections suspended.

Around 100 primary, secondary and special schools shut on Monday with the LEA later announcing all schools would remain shut the following day.

Birmingham International Airport managed to stay open after technicians worked through the night to clear the runway. However, a number of flights were delayed or cancelled.

As pavements turned icy and temperatures plummeted below zero, Solihull Council suspended refuse collections on Tuesday for safety reasons.

Councillor Bob Sleigh, cabinet member for health, social care and partnerships, said: “January has been the coldest month since 1995, and it appears that more unrelenting cold weather is on its way. We want all people, especially the older and most vulnerable, to stay safe and warm, and to be aware that there is a great deal of help available for them.”

Meanwhile the ambulance service revealed around a quarter of the calls received on Monday were from people who had fallen over.

Although the cold snap is expected to continue for several days yet, the worst of the weather is thought to have passed through the region.

In the meantime, local youngsters are having a great time. Pupils at Saint Martin’s - one of the few schools to open yesterday - built snowmen and skidded their way down the drifts.