ONE HUNDRED cancelled flights at Stansted Airport and days off school for children were the results of heavy snow last Thursday. The airport s runway was closed for almost five hours leading to the cancellation of departing flights. A BAA spokesman said r

ONE HUNDRED cancelled flights at Stansted Airport and days off school for children were the results of heavy snow last Thursday.

The airport's runway was closed for almost five hours leading to the cancellation of departing flights.

A BAA spokesman said rail links in and out of the airport were not affected and no major problems on the roads were reported.

"Stansted Airport's runway closed at 6.10am due to adverse weather conditions and reopened at 11am to both arriving and departing aircraft," he said.

"Around 100 departing flights were cancelled, two flights were diverted into Stansted and five were diverted from the airport.

"Disruption to flights continued throughout the day, passengers were strongly advised to contact their airline before setting off for the airport and advised to allow extra time for their journey."

Pupils across Reporter country were able to enjoy an extra day off school before half-term due to the wintry weather.

Saffron Walden's Dame Bradbury, County High and Friends' Schools were all closed on Thursday and reopened the following morning.

Newport Free Grammar School and the Mountfitchet Maths and Computing College were also shut on Thursday. Despite heavy snow, Bentfield Primary School in Stansted did open.

An Essex Police spokesman said plans put in place to help the force deal with the weather worked well.

"We received 400 snow-related calls, with 343 of these being about nuisance snowballers.

"There were 46 minor road traffic collisions and seven reports of large snowballs obstructing the county's roads."

Glenn Young, manager of the East of England Ambulance Service, thanked the public for not making unnecessary 999 calls.

"We prepared very well for the weather and ensured extra resources were available should there have been any extra pressure on the service.

"Of the snow-related accidents, most were people who had suffered falls and bumps while out and about, and others were involved in minor road collisions while negotiating the tricky road conditions.

"Thanks should also go to the public for not making unnecessary 999 calls and avoiding unnecessary journeys.