SNOW: ‘My four hour drive on ice’

The A24 in the morning - it was blocked with traffic in the evening.

One staff member from the County Times office (where Sussex Newspapers are based), David Philip, found himself bogged down in tailbacks soon after leaving the Horsham office at 5.30pm last night for home in Littlehampton.

“Motorists were travelling at about 10mph as they gingerly negotiated the slippery conditions.

“Halfway down the A24, I caught up with a tailback about two miles before the Pulborough roundabout.

“We sat stationary for most of the time. Movement was reduced to a crawl - inching forwards every ten minutes.

“Some cars were sliding sideways as soon as they started to move. I sat there praying that the road stayed straight and level as any incline meant heading towards the ditch.

“On one banked corner, a truck in the lane next to me started sliding towards me. There was nothing much I could do. Luckily he didn’t hit me.

“An hour later I had reached the Findon roundabout.

“Two vehicles were left abandoned in the overtaking lane.

“Other cars were trying to get past, wheels spinning in a desperate attempt to change lanes.

“I reached the A27 after about two and a half hours. We were soon diverted down to the A259, outside Worthing.

“I sat there listening to radio reports of the complete standstill on the A23 at Crawley, glad that we were at least inching forward.

“I was grateful for my full tank of petrol and the warm air pumping into my car.

It was four hours before I reached home, a journey that normally takes 35 minutes.”