Ice and snow hit Christmas getaway in Western Europe
Thick ice and snow have caused further travel disruption in Western Europe, as transport networks struggle to cope with the busy Christmas period.
In northern Germany, freezing rain created 2cm (almost one inch) of ice on some main roads, prompting officials to advise against driving.
There were further snowfalls in northern France and more were forecast.
Driving conditions in parts of Britain were said to be "treacherous" on one of the year's busiest days on the roads.
Delays and cancellations affected rail services in parts of Scotland, England and Wales.
Heathrow, the world's busiest international airport, was said to be operating a near normal schedule. Both runways reopened on Wednesday night for the first time since Saturday.
'Endless accidents'
In Duesseldorf in western Germany a schoolbus crashed into a tree after colliding with a car.
The driver was seriously hurt and 19 children and five other adults were lightly injured, local media reported.
Police in areas of Lower Saxony in the north said there had been an "endless" string of accidents, with roads described as similar to glass because of the fall of freezing rain on icy surfaces.
The motorway between Berlin and Hamburg was said to be at a standstill and heavy overnight snow in the Magdeburg area left a number of motorists stranded.
In France, the authorities placed 17 areas on the second highest state of alert, including the entire Paris region. Weather forecasters have warned of heavy snow.
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