The Beast from the East hits the North West

The winter misery for motorists continued on Friday with dozens of cars, vans and lorries still trapped on England's snowbound highest motorway.

The military has been drafted in to help rescue vehicles from the Pennine hills on the M62, which police said is closed "indefinitely" between Rochdale, Lancashire, and Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.

Drivers and passengers spent up to 18 hours in their vehicles amid sub-zero temperatures and gale-force winds reaching 90mph.

But a small army of volunteers in Milnrow, Rochdale, braved the conditions to take hot drinks, food and blankets to those left stranded and opened up a community centre and their own homes for those seeking refuge.

Lorry driver Carl Drennan, 29, spent the night in his cab at Hartshead Moor service station on the M62, after being stuck on the road for around 15 hours.

Mr Drennan, from Wythenshawe, Manchester, started work at 5am on Thursday and was on his way back over the Pennines from Yorkshire when traffic on the motorway ground to a halt at around 6pm.

He said:

He added:

Dave Webb, 37, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, said he had been stuck for about 10 hours.

He said:

Local volunteer Eleanor Kelly, 19, said about 30 people had braved the conditions to take supplies up the hill to the motorway - including to a father with a baby and toddler in the car.

She said:

However, not everyone has been so community-spirited.

Rochdale Council tweeted:

People urged to check on elderly or vulnerable neighbours who may be stranded by the snow.

Freezing conditions continue to batter the North West for the third consecutive day.

The RAC and emergency services are asking people to look after people who might not be able to get in shopping, medicine, or other supplies.

30 flights have been cancelled at Manchester Airport as snow and freezing temperatures continue to batter the region.

Passengers are being advised to check with their airlines.

CHESHIRE

• A537 Cat and Fiddle route closed due to snow between Bull-Hill-Lane (Macclesfield) and A54 (Buxton)
• A54 closed between the Rose and Crown and A537 Cat and Fiddle Route (Buxton)
• A57 Snake Pass
• Sugar Lane closed due to ice between Holehouse Lane and Brookledge Lane

GREATER MANCHESTER

• A628 Woodhead Pass closed due to snow between A57 Mottram Moor and A616
• Hazardous driving conditions and heavy traffic due to snow on M62 between J20 and J24. Traffic is down to single file in places.

• A635 Holmfirth Road closed between A669 Chew Valley Road (Greenfield) and A6024 Woodhead Road
• No service on Manchester Metrolink between Rochdale Town Centre and Newbold
• Service suspended on Arriva Trains Wales between Chester and Manchester Piccadilly, and between Chester and Manchester Airport due to shortage of trains because of extra safety inspections
• Various flights have been cancelled to and from Manchester Airport throughout Thursday because of the severe weather across the UK and mainland Europe. Anyone expecting to fly today should check the status of flights with airlines.

LANCASHIRE

• Tockholes Road Eastbound blocked, hazardous driving conditions
• A56 Southbound closed due to accident between M65 J8 and A680 Blackburn Road
• Service suspended on Transpennine Express between Preston and Edinburgh Waverley, and between Preston and Glasgow Central

• Southfield Lane closed due to snow between Delves Lane and Robin House Lane

MERSEYSIDE

• Service suspended on Mersey Ferries at Liverpool due to adverse weather conditions. A replacement bus service is operating between Seacombe and Hamilton Square.