Scores of schools were closed today and roads remained treacherous while the emergency services were kept at full stretch as the weather held its icy grip on the county.

In Shropshire there were 47 schools closed compared to five in the more urban Telford & Wrekin.

Telford & Wrekin Council said its gritters had been out almost continually for the last 48 hours in a bid to keep roads clear of snow and ice.

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Councillor Miles Hosken, cabinet member for the environment, said: “With the heavy snowfall we have put down extra salt, at least double the usual amount, meaning that gritting took longer than usual. We have also been able to grit local centres in addition to the major routes.” 

Major routes are all passable but drivers must take care and allow extra time for journeys 

West Midlands Ambulance bosses said nearly a quarter of 999 calls yesterday from Shropshire related to falls. Rob Ashford, chief operating officer, said: “Yesterday we had a steady stream of people who had slipped and hurt themselves.  

“In some cases it was as simple as  elderly people going out to retrieve their morning milk that became a victim of the wintry weather; some had slipped, fallen and broken the likes of a wrist or an arm. 

“In other cases it was people who were out walking who missed their footing and fell injuring themselves.”

A Gorge Parish Council planning meeting has been cancelled tonight because of the poor road conditions.

Last night’s Lilleshall & Donnington committee meetings were postponed to February 9 due to the weather. Planning will still be at 6pm and Halls and Environment Committee at 7pm.

But an information evening tomorrow between 5.30pm and 8pm is going ahead at Telford College of Arts and Technology despite the weather. Year 11 students or those thinking of studying part-time can speak to tutors, course leaders and get careers advice.

Meanwhile, cricket fanatic Carl Jones, the Shropshire Star’s assistant editor, had a nightmare journey to catch a flight from Gatwick Airport to Jamaica yesterday.

His wife Rachel had lined up the trip as a present for his 40th birthday but the big chill almost put paid to Mr Jones’s dream of sitting in the Caribbean sun watching England play the West Indies in Wednesday’s first test match. His plane was delayed by a couple of hours and eventually took off about lunchtime.

And Julia Parker and her husband Brett, both 60 from Lydbury North, near Bishop’s Castle, spent 12 hours trying to get back from Paris yesterday, a journey which usually takes two and a quarter hours. 

The couple had won a weekend break to the city on Eurostar. Because of the snow they were delayed an hour, then had to pick up extra passengers at Lille whose train was not running.

Once they got to London there were no buses or tubes so they had to spend two hours queuing for a taxi.

By Lisa Rowley