BOLTON has been battered by snow, freezing temperatures and howling winds.

With Easter less than a week away, temperatures have remained around freezing.

Snow brought misery to motorists with a number of accidents and reports of drivers getting stuck.

The chaos began on Friday as blizzards swept thought parts of Bolton and Horwich, making driving conditions treacherous.

Bolton Council gritters were out battling to keep roads clear and helping drivers who had become stranded.

Old Kiln Lane was one of the roads affected and passers-by helped drivers stuck in the snow get moving during Friday rush hour.

One motorist, who asked not to be named, said: “The cars was sliding over all the place and wheels were spinning.

“The road just had not been gritted. One moment it was okay and the next moment it was blizzard conditions and snow drifted and you couldn’t see anything.

“People stopped to help.”

Drivers were also stranded in parts of Blackrod until gritters arrived.

Firefighters from Bury were called to Turton Road, Tottington, after a two-car smash involving a Ford Mondeo and Range Rover.

Later the same evening people firefighters from Bolton Central urged motorists not to go out unless “completely necessary”. On Saturday morning motorway traffic was brought to a standstill after two HGVs jackknifed with hours of each other on M61 southbound between Chorley and Horwich.

And bus companies diverted a number of services as housing estates became no-go areas on Saturday.

These included Arriva busses 534 terminating at the Pineapple in Astley Bridge, the 537 to Edgworth terminated at Bromley Cross and the 715 avoided Lostock and St Davids Crescent.

First Bus suspended a number of services, including Johnson Fold estate and areas of Halliwell.

Five foot snow drifts meant Lock Lane in Lostock was impassable by car.

Cllr David Chadwick, Bolton Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said gritters had been working flat out.

He added: “The staff have been doing a fantastic job in keeping traffic moving.

“As well as the weather information we receive we also have two sensors in the roads which give a very good indication of the weather, and we will act upon that information and be pro-active rather than reactive.”

Temperatures will not rise above 2C today and there could be some showers. Tomorrow lows of minus 2C are expected, with weather experts warning it will be “very cold” and Wednesday will see more of the same with widespread frosts and lows of minus 2C.