COUNCIL services across Southampton have been affected by the heavy snowfall.

Some schools have been forced to close for the day and all waste and recycling collections have been delayed.

A city council spokesman said they were working with the police and partner agencies to cope with the weather.

“With temperatures expected to be sub zero for several days please make sure you are looking after and checking on your neighbours or any vulnerable people you may know,” he said.

“Where possible stay indoors, keep warm and have plenty of hot drinks and food.”

Hampshire County Councils' gritting lorries have been out all night salting the roads.

Salting lorries have been put on 24-hour continuous salting duties and are now working shifts to ensure drivers can A county council spokesman urged anyone on the roads to be more cautious and remember there is no such thing as an absolutely safe road surface.

“Never assume that roads are clear even if they look free from frost or ice and always drive with caution even when a road has been salted, as the salting process is less effective at temperatures below minus five degrees and has virtually no effect when the road temperature is less than minus 10 degrees,” he said.

“The onus is always on drivers and motorcyclists to keep their speeds down to an appropriate level, leave plenty of room between them and the vehicle in front, and make sure that their vehicles are well maintained.”

Meanwhile, wheelie bins and other waste collections across Eastleigh borough have been hit by the Arctic conditions.

A council spokesperson said: "All our waste collections have been suspended because of the bad weather."

Trucks collecting from wheelie bins, as well as trade, glass and garden waste have been taken off the road.

It involves about 9,000 homes in the borough and the spokesman added: "We are advising residents to leave out their wheelie bins and they will be collected as soon as possible, weather permitting."

In Winchester, rubbish collections have been susopended due to safety concerns.

The district council is asking residents to leave their wheelie bins empty to help minimise any risks.

New Forest District Council has suspended refuse collection across the whole of its district.

Residents who are due a collection today are being asked to take in their refuse.

Arrangements are being put in place to collect two weeks refuse next Monday, February 9.

Meanwhile refuse collections have also been cancelled across Southampton.

Around 40,000 people are believed to be affected across 20,000 households in the city.

A Southampton City Council spokesman said the council hoped to collect all the rubbish by the end of the week.