TWENTY-ONE schools remain closed across Hyndburn, Burnley, Ribble Valley and Pendle as the nation gets ready for 'Storm Emma' which will hit Britain later this week.

In Burnley, Burnley Rockwood Nursery School is shut all day due to adverse weather and also the excessive staff absences and it is a similar situation at Springfield Community Primary School, St Stephen's CE Primary, Stoneyholme Nursery and Hameldon Community College.

Elsewhere, in Pendle, Brierfield Woodfield Nursery School is closed all day due to the icy road conditions and snow making it unsafe to get to school and also the staff difficulties in getting to nursery.

Meanwhile, Reedley Primary School will be shut all day due to the weather and Barnoldswick Coates Lane Primary, Barnoldswick CE Voluntary Primary, Brierfield Woodfield Nursery, Colne Christ Church CE Primary, Laneshaw Bridge Primary, Lomeshaye Junior School, Marsden Community Primary, Nelson St Philips CE, Nelson Walverden, Nelson Whitefield Infant School and Walton Lane Nursery.

In Hyndburn and Ribble Valley. there are closures at Bolton by Bowland CE Primary, Brennand's Primary, Grindleton CE, Oswaldtwistle School.

Elsewhere, Shuttleworth College closed at 11am over worsening weather conditions.

The Lancashire Telegraph reported yesterday how more than 50 schools were closed due to the weather 

A yellow warning covering vast swathes of the UK runs until just before midnight.

Forecaster Helen Roberts said: "The capital is waking up to quite a covering of snow this morning, as is much of the east coast.

"We've seen a couple of hours of really heavy snow in London, which was enough to give a few centimetres. Further north has seen even more snow, and the disruption is likely to continue throughout the morning in these areas.

"It will also be another bitterly cold day - even colder than yesterday, with a stronger wind chill."

The yellow warning is between 5am and 11.55pm for Blackburn and there is potential for travel delays on roads, with some stranded vehicles and passengers, as well as delays or cancellations to rail and air travel. 

Meanwhile from Thursday, forecasters predict that another weather system, Storm Emma, will bring blizzards, gales and sleet as it meets the chilly "Beast from the East" later this week.

The storm, named by the Portuguese Met Service, will move north through Europe and is due to hit the UK on Thursday and Friday, and will be "significantly disruptive", bringing the risk of power cuts and transport delays.