Snow and ice warnings continue after travel disruption

Warnings remain in place for more snow and ice across Scotland as wintry weather continues to sweep the country.

Heavy snow lying in the north, south and west of the country led to problems on many roads on Thursday with dozens'' of minor accidents as cars skidded off roads.

The Met Office has issued warnings for up to 20cm of snow for higher ground and ice until late on Friday.

Chief meteorologist Paul Gundersen said: There's a chance any snow that settles could be disruptive to transport and possibly lead to interruptions to power supplies.

Forecasting snow is always challenging and there's often a fine line between whether it will rain or snow in a particular location depending on slight changes in air temperature. Keep an eye on the forecast and warnings for your area for the latest information.''

Police are urging drivers to take care on all surfaces.

Snow showers are expected to be less frequent over the weekend but temperatures will remain low.

Among the drivers caught up in the snow on Thursday was Olympic champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, who took to Twitter to thank a gritter driver who helped tow his car out of a snow bank in the south of Scotland.

He wrote: Thanks 2 the kind gent who towed my car out of a snow bank today after I hit black ice.

Thankfully no harm to me or car but be careful folks!'' RAC spokesman Simon Williams said: Motorists all over the UK are facing very challenging driving conditions from the full array of winter weather.

Driving in rain, snow and ice is a real danger so the best advice is to drive more slowly, leave far more space behind the car in front than normal, and expect the unexpected.

If you are unlucky enough to find yourself slipping and sliding on the road, change to a higher gear to gain traction, be gentle with the accelerator and you should keep control. Also, remember to give yourself more time to brake and apply the pressure on the brake steadily. ''

• Scottish News