BLIZZARDS brought chaos to parts of Burnley yesterday when snow brought Traffic to a virtual standstill.

Traffic travelling along the M65 motorway from Colne to Burnley was reduced to speeds of less than 5mph.

The bad weather also prompted a number of schools in Burnley and Pendle to close early in anticipation of further snowfall

Sergeant Nigel Lund, of Pennine Police, said that despite the sleet and snow there hadn't been any serious accidents in the area.

He said: "The snow has been coming and going all day in a flurry.

"Fortunately this didn't last long because the snow eased off and the sun came out which melted the snow."

During mid-afternoon, most of Burnley's roads were covered with snow as blizzard conditions threatened to bring the whole area to a standstill.

But by teatime the snow had eased and all but the most minor roads were clear for traffic.

Despite bad driving conditions there were no reported weather-related road accidents as motorists heeded warnings over speed.

Traffic on the M65 briefly slowed to around 3mph as motorists braved the blizzard conditions.

West Craven High Technology College, Barnoldswick, and Holy Trinity Primary School in Brierfield, closed early to allow for the bad weather conditions and teachers at Rosewood Primary School, Burnley, allowed parents to collect children earlier.

Forecasters have predicted a milder day today with early snow showers turning to rain as temperatures rise to around 6C. A cloudy night is expected to keep temperatures above freezing.