A SUDDEN heavy snowfall has caused problems across Wirral today.

Throughout the borough, slush-filled roads meant traffic was moving at a snail's pace.

Merseytravel said many buses were delayed due to the frozen condition of side roads.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport was forced to close due to heavy snow and ice and several flights had to be cancelled.

Across the county, 15 schools closed for the day, including South Wirral High School in Eastham and SS Peter and Paul primary school in New Brighton.

A Merseytravel spokesman said: “Bus services across the whole of Merseyside were affected, including some in Wirral, because the ice on some roads was so bad.

“Both the Birkenhead Queensway and Wallasey Kingsway Tunnels were gritted at 4am on Tuesday morning, so traffic was able to move without any problems.”

There were no problems on the ferries and no reports of any incidents from the Coastguard.

Motorists were being advised to avoid making unnecessary journeys during the icy weather and if they must make a journey, to drive with caution.

Inspector Mark Williamson was advising people to avoid travelling by car unless absolutely necessary, and if they do take to the roads, to drive with extreme care.

He said: "There is still sheet ice on a lot of our roads which is not visible to drivers so I would urge people to drive more carefully today, wherever they are going, and to be more mindful of the other cars around them and the road conditions.

"Drivers should leave plenty of room between them and the car in front, drive slower than they normally would, and use their gears to slow down where possible rather than their brakes."

Wirral Council reassured motorists it has 350 tonnes of grit left even after having 'lent' Liverpool City Council 30 tonnes when the city’s own supplies ran out.

The Met Office forecasts that locally, the next two days should be clear, although more snow will be falling across Merseyside by the end of the week.

The South is expected to see the worst of the weather as heavy winter showers move across England and Wales.

North West Ambulance Service declared a major incident in which 999 calls are "stringently prioritised" due to the big freeze affecting the region, mainly in the Greater Manchester area.

More updates later