A CAR left the road in the treacherous weather on the southbound carriageway near junction 8 at Stansted.

The approach roads to Stansted Airport were "sheet ice" according to police who said vehicles were spinning on the roads in the early hours of Thursday morning, December 28. Nearby, a vehicle went over a safety barrier at the M11-A120 junction at Stansted.

Police also dealt with a three-vehicle accident in Fairway, Harlow.

Meanwhile, holidaymakers were delayed by an average of three hours at Stansted Airport on Thursday morning, while some unlucky travellers arrived to find their flights cancelled.

Airport spokesman Robbie Barrigan said about eight departures and a similar number of arrivals were cancelled when the runway was closed because of extreme weather. Affected travellers were booked on later flights, some of which left as late as the weekend.

Mr Barrigan said the runway was closed between 6.15am and 8.05am on Thursday because of snow and ice. However, most flights got off the ground by the end of operations.

On Friday, December 29, Mr Barrigan said the airport was back to normal, although some flights were delayed.