IT WAS Man v Nature again across Huddersfield today.

Gritting crews were out in the early hours trying to keep open main roads that were hit by ice, after yesterday's heavy snow and they were hopeful of a victory as forecasters predicted an end to the heavy snow and a slight rise in temperatures.

The gritting crews worked throughout yesterday and last night as Huddersfield was hit by its heaviest snowfall for years.

The Arctic blast took its toll with more than 100 schools shut down yesterday, events and meetings cancelled and many people unable to get to work.

Several roads in the higher parts of the area were shut, including the A635, the A640 and the A642.

Those three roads remained closed this morning, despite the gritting which went on through the night.

But the Kirklees highways gritting teams were able to keep open all main roads in the Huddersfield area and also ploughed and gritted on a number of side roads in residential areas.

Terry Walker, of the highways service, said: "It has been a very busy period, with the worst weather for years. We were told to expect another 10cm of snow yesterday which did arrive, but the worst problems were the freezing temperatures we experienced during the night, and the wind whipping the snow back across the roads we had cleared.

"We completed a full grit at 6pm last night, there were patrols out all night to check on the priority routes and we sent all the crews out again at 5am today.

"One problem area we had yesterday was in Holmbridge, where buses became stuck, but we were able to clear a way through."

* A club stewardess complained gritting crews had not cleared a road in Honley - even though it leads to the village ambulance station.

Susan Lilley, of Honley Socialist Club, said the club shared the access road off Moorbottom with the ambulance service but the lane had not been gritted.

"Ambulances are coming and going all the time but it is full of snow and ice. Why cannot this lane be a priority?" she asked.

But a spokesman for Kirklees Council Highways service said there had been no request for gritting from the West Yorkshire Ambulance Service and it was not possible to respond immediately to pleas for help from businesses.

"We always help the emergency services whenever they ask," he said.