HUDDERSFIELD escaped the worst excesses of the snow and ice which blighted much of the country.

Some 8cm of snow fell on the Pennine hills but a gritting operation by Kirklees Council ensured most roads stayed open.

Much of the snow fell on Thursday evening and that shut both the A635 Greenfield Road and the A6024 Holme Moss routes, with the A640 over Buckstones also badly hit.

A coachload of Meltham people on a day trip were stuck for five hours on the A635 because of the snow. (See story top right.)

But by yesterday morning, only Woodhead Road over Holme Moss remained shut because of problems on the Derbyshire side.

And the weekend weather looks set to be a little milder than usual.

Click below to see a picture gallery of the snow and cold weather

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Huddersfield weather expert Paul Stevens said temperatures dipped as low as -3.5° Celsius on Wednesday but for the weekend looked set to stay above freezing.

He said: “We will get a little sleet and rain later on Saturday but nothing like there was on Thursday.

“Sunday looks to start cloudy and it will start to turn colder, which is a taste of what we can expect next week.

“The winds will come from the east, from Russia, and that will make it bitterly cold. I think many areas will struggle to get above freezing for the early part of the week.”

The cold snap gripping Europe shows no sign of letting up as the UK braces itself for snow next week.

Overnight frosts will continue throughout next week, with increasingly wintry showers turning from sleet into snow.

Meanwhile, firefighters are urging people to take extra care as the temperatures plummet below freezing.

Wintry weather can pose additional hazards in the home and outside, particularly when it comes to using heaters and driving in difficult conditions.

The public – especially dog walkers – are also asked to be careful around frozen lakes and waterways, as they can present hidden dangers.

Ian Bitcon, responsible for fire safety in West Yorkshire, said: “This time of year poses a number of safety hazards which can be avoided if some simple precautionary steps are taken.

“It is the time of year when people dust off their old heaters and electric blankets to keep warm. It is essential that they are regularly checked and used safely. And don’t forget to make sure your smoke alarms are working!”