Sporting fixtures cancelled as snow causes headaches for Derry drivers and travellers

Yesterday's snow seems to have caught the city's sports fans, drivers - and gritters - on the hop again.

The sudden flurries enveloped the city before the gritters got a chance to prepare the ground, leaving many hilly areas in Derry very hazardous.

One concerned pedestrian contacted the Derry News to issue a warning: "All over the town, cars are either crawling or forced to pull in. It's as if there's no traction on the roads at all."

The weather resulted in many of the weekend's sporting fixtures being called off. There was no Saturday Morning League Football or D&D Sunday football. The North West Junior League was cancelled.

Meanwhile, in Gaelic football, the National League match between Derry and Offaly at Celtic Park was called off with less than two hours to go yesterday, because of the snow storms.

An initial pitch inspection at 11am yesterday morning was favourable - and the game was cleared for take-off.  But following heavy snow showers, a second inspection took place at 12.30 - and the game, due to go ahead at 2pm, was called off.

Forecast

The next few days are liable to be cold, with temperatures approaching freezing, and will see further snow.

But towards the weekend, it will get slightly warmer and the snow showers will be replaced with rain.