Snow is continuing to fall across Oxfordshire this morning causing difficult driving conditions for drivers across the county.

The southbound carriageway of the M40 between junction 11 at Banbury and 10 for Brackley is closed after a lorry jack-knifed about 7am, and traffic has come to a standstill on the A34 heading northbound at East Ilsley, with traffic tailing back to Beedon.

The A4421 in Bicester is also partially blocked because of the snow with lorries struggling to get through.

Stanford Road in Faringdon is reported to be blocked as drivers abandon their vehicles, and the A3400 in Chipping Norton is also blocked.

The Met Office says snow will continue to fall across the region this morning, with a snow depth of 18cm reported in Thame overnight.

The Met Office forecast is predicting further heavy snowfalls this morning, with snow becoming lighter this afternoon.

Temperatures will drop to -5C overnight and there will be light sleet and snow tomorrow.

County councillor Ian Hudspeth, cabinet member for transport, the man responsible for ensuring roads across Oxfordshire are gritted, was snowed in this morning.

Mr Hudspeth, who lives in Bladon, west Oxfordshire, was unable to get to the A4095 and into work.

He said: “Last night seven gritters with snow ploughs tackled priority roads in the north of the county, while 11 operated in the south trying to keep routes open.

“Teams will continue to work throughout the day.

“As more vehicles get on the roads, the more the salt really gets a chance to work.

“Once the gritters have got the main routes clear they will then concentrate on secondary roads, but if there is any more snow they will have to go back to the priority routes.

“I cannot recall anything like this in Oxfordshire before.

“The advice is that if you don’t have to drive, then don’t because the conditions are so treacherous.”

A spokesman for South Central Ambulance said staff were not needed to attend the accident on the M40.

She added: “We are getting reports of minor bumps and scrapes but so far we have not had to attend any major incidents.”