WORCESTERSHIRE woke to a covering of snow yesterday (Thursday) and most people heeded police advice and stayed at home.

Salting and gritting had begun the day before and major roads were passable with care.

"Although some of the main trunk roads will clear later in the day, side roads that have not been treated are expected to remain treacherous over the next few days," said police spokesman Vicki Davies.

"If you must drive, please remember to leave greater stopping distances and reduce your speed to avoid becoming another accident statistic."

Malvern Highways Partnership manager Mike Davis said: "Under normal circumstances the volume of traffic, combined with salting, would have cleared the roads.

"But people are very sensibly staying at home and some of the minor roads are in poor condition. Rock salt is being put down but we need more traffic or a lift in temperature before it will start to melt."

Worcestershire County Council's technicians used information from special sensors on key roads to determine the risk of dangerous conditions and decide whether or not to grit.

The whole of the county can be gritted in three hours, but the operation uses more than 26 tonnes of salt and grit and costs £10,000.