Schools shut and station closed as worst snow of winter hits Colchester and Tendring

Heavy falls during the night and in the morning made for treacherous driving conditions, even on main roads and in town centres.

East Hill, Colchester, was impassable and police tried to clear it using shovels. Colchester Town rail station, at St Botolph's, was shut until further notice.

Most schools were shut, including Colchester Sixth Form College, Colchester Institute and all of the town's secondary schools.

Many events were cancelled, including tonight's Colchester Labour Party meeting was cancelled.

The full list of shut schools in our area is as follows: Alderman Blaxill, Colchester, Alec Hunter Pre-School, Braintree, Alec Hunter Humanities College, Braintree, All Saints Primary, Maldon, Baynards Primary, Tiptree, Beckers Green Primary, Braintree, Birch C of E Primary, Bishop William Ward Primary, Great Horkesley, Bocking Church Street Primary, Bradfield Primary, Brightlingsea Infant & Junior, Brinkley Grove Primary, Colchester, Chappel C of E Primary, Chase Lane Primary, Dovercourt, Children's Support Centre, Braintree, Clacton Coastal Academy, Clacton County High School, Colchester Academy, Colchester Institute (all campuses), Colchester High School, Colchester County High School for Girls, Colchester Sixth Form College,Colchester Royal Grammar School, Colne Community School & College, Brightlingsea, Coppins Green Primary, Clacton, Earls Colne Primary & Nursery, Edith Borthwick Special School, Braintree, Elm Hall Primary, Witham, Engaines Primary, Little Clacton, Feering C of E Primary, Fordham All Saints Primary, Frinton Chapel Pre-School, Friars Grove Primary, Colchester, Gilberd School, Colchester, Gosfield School, Great Bradfords Infant, Braintree, Great Bradfords Junior, Braintree, Great Tey Primary, Colchester, Great Totham Nursery, Great Totham Primary, Greenstead St Andrews Infant & Nursery, Colchester, Greenstead St Andrews Junior, Colchester, Hamford Primary, Walton-on-the-Naze, Hamilton Primary, Colchester, Harwich School, Heathlands, West Bergholt, Hedingham School, Sible Hedingham, Helena Romanes, Dunmow, Heybridge Primary, Heybridge, Maldon, Highfield Primary, Lawford, Highwoods Community Primary, Colchester, Holy Family Nursery, Witham, Holy Family Catholic Primary, Witham (closing at 2PM), Holy Trinity Primary, Halstead, Howbridge Infant, Witham, Howbridge Junior, Witham, John Bunyan Infant & Nursery, Braintree, John Bunyan Junior, Braintree, John Ray Infant, Braintree, John Ray Junior, Braintree, Kelvedon St Mary's, Kelvedon, Kendall C of E Primary, Colchester, King's Ford Infant, Colchester, King's Ford Junior, Colchester, Kingswood Hoe Special School, Colchester, Kirby Primary, Lawford C of E Primary, Lexden Springs Special School, Colchester, Littlegarth Independent Primary, Nayland, Little Hands Pre-School, Witham, Little Oak Nursery, Langford, Lyons Hall Primary, Braintree, Maldon Primary, Maltings Academy, Witham, Manningtree High School, Market Field Special School, Elmstead Market, Messing Primary, Milldene Primary, Tiptree, Monkwick Infant & Nursery, Colchester, Monkwick Junior, Colchester, Montgomery Infant, Colchester, Montgomery Junior, Colchester, Notley Green Primary, Great Notley, Notley High School & Braintree Sixth Form, Braintree, Oakwood Infant, Clacton, Old Heath Community Primary & Pre-School, Colchester, Oxford House School, Colchester, Parson's Heath Primary, Colchester, Philip Morant School, Colchester, Ramsden Hall School, Langham, Rayne Primary, Rayne, Rayne Village Pre-School, Richard De Clare, Halstead, Rolph C of E Primary, Thorpe-le-Soken, Roman River Pre School, Colchester, Shorefields School, Clacton, Silver End Primary, Southview School, Witham, Spring Meadows Primary, Dovercourt, Squirrels Pre-School, Highwoods, Colchester, St Andrew's Infant, Colchester, St Andrew's Primary, Weeley, St Benedict's Catholic College, Colchester, St Francis Catholic Primary, Braintree, St Francis Primary, Maldon, St George's New Town Infant & Nursery, Colchester, St George's New Town Junior, Colchester, St Helena School, Colchester, St John's C of E Primary, Colchester, St Lawrence Primary, Rowhedge, St Luke's Primary, Tiptree, St Margaret's Prep, Gosfield, St Michael's C of E Primary, Braintree, St Michael's Pre-School, Kirby Cross, St Nicholas Pre-School & Nursery, Colchester Garrison, St Osyth C of E Primary, St Peter's Primary, Coggeshall, St Philomena's Prep, Frinton, Stanway School, Colchester, Stepping Stones Play & Learning, Colchester, Tabor Science College, Braintree, Templars Infant & Nursery, Witham, Templars Junior, Witham, Tendring Primary, Clacton, Tendring Technology College, Frinton & Thorpe le Soken sites, Thomas Lord Audley School, Colchester, Thurstable School, Tiptree, Tiptree Heath Primary, Tollesbury Primary, Tolleshunt D'Arcy Pre-School, Tolleshunt D'Arcy St Nicholas Primary, Walton-on-the-Naze Primary, Wheatlands Educational Nursery, Goldhanger, White Court Primary, Great Notley, Wickham Bishops Nursery, Willowbrook Primary & Nursery, Colchester, Woodham Walter Primary.