FIFTEEN Colchester Schools have confirmed they will close today as a result of heavy weekend snowfall.

Two schools are set to open later than usual, while two schools are opening just for exams.

A broken down train at Chelmsford has caused delays on the line between Colchester and London Liverpool Street.

Engineers were on site about at 9.45am and a Greater Anglia spokeswoman confirmed trains from Norwich, Ipswich, Clacton and Colchester were unlikely to run before the train was moved.

She added there has been a generally good service on the network, with trains likely to be running at reduced speeds due to the severe weather.

Tickets purchased in advance for specific train services will be valid on all services on Monday.

Jacqueline Burrell, a forecaster at the Essex Weather Centre, based in Chelmsford, said Colchester experienced heavy snow fall on Sunday, with reports of between 3cm and 6cm in the town.

She also warned: "Very cold conditions will persist through the week ahead with only a slow thaw expected as temperatures will typically only reach a few degrees above freezing by day.

"Overnight, we will see a return of frost and ice as temperatures plummet to lows of -5 degrees Celsius on Wednesday."

Milder air from the Atlantic is expected next weekend, but further snow is expected before then.

 

Closed schools

 

Colchester Institute

North East Quadrant CSS Centre, Colchester

Little Garth School, Colchester

Brinkley Grove Primary School, Colchester

Gilberd School, Colchester

Roman River pre-School, Colchester

Boxted St Peter's Primary school, Boxted

Great Tey Primary School, Colchester

St Andrews Infant and Nursery, Colchester

St Andrew's Junior School, Colchester

St Peter's Primary, Coggeshall

Alderman Blaxill, Colchester school closed. But GCSE catering exam will go ahead.

Tiptree Heath Primary, Tiptree

Colchester Royal Grammar School, Colchester

Stanway School, Colchester. But a geography exam will go ahead at 1.30pm.

 

Schools opening late


Colchester County High School for Girls, Colchester is opening at 10.15am

Myland Primary, Colchester is opening 10.15am.