Nearly 2,500 people contacted Sussex Police during the heavy snow – almost a third more than a typical March day.

Police revealed that between 9am on Monday and 9am today (March 12) operators were inundated with calls.

There were 771 road-related calls – 228 reporting crashes.

On the M23 southbound, near Maidenbower, Crawley, a 19-year-old girl suffered serious head injuries in a crash.

She was whisked to East Surrey Hospital following the three-car collision shortly before 10.30pm on Monday, March 11.

Her injuries are not believed to be life-threatening and a police spokesman said there were not delays reaching her because of the traffic build up on the motorway.

A 25-year-old motorcyclist suffered a broken leg when his motorbike smashed into Volkswagen Golf in Ockley Road, Bognor, at 3.30pm on Monday.

He was taken to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester. The Volkswagen driver, a 42-year-old woman from Bognor, was uninjured.

Skidding cars

Other crashes included a two-vehicle smash in Ewhurst Road, Brighton.

A 28-year-old Brighton woman, who passed the scene at 9.30pm on Monday, said: “A car had crashed into a wall and then a second car appeared to have crashed into this car.

“One of the cars was badly damaged, probably a write-off.

“Around the same time a car was trying to drive down Bear Road and was skidding all over the place.

“People who were walking up the road, which is a steep hill, were stopping and watching as this car – which looked quite posh – spun out of control.

“It only just made it to the bottom in one piece.

'It was chaos'

“A few minutes earlier police had been at the scene of a crash near the Vogue Gyratory where it looked like a car had crashed into a wall.”

Shortly after 8.10pm on Monday a car spun in Eastern Road, Brighton. The road was blocked and police attended.

There were also reports that about six cars crashed in St George VI Avenue, Hove, overnight.

Another 30 cars were abandoned. One man said: “It was chaos”.

On Monday night in Southover, Lewes, an unoccupied car smashed into a garden wall after sliding down an ice-covered hill.

Lorry stuck

Today the A267 in Horam, near Heathfield, was closed because of a crash.

A supermarket lorry got stuck on the Broadwater Bridge, Worthing, at 7pm on Monday. It was unable to move after stopping behind a bus but eventually managed to pull away.

A number of crashes took place in Petworth and the surrounding area on Monday.

A woman had to be cut from her car after smashing into another in North Street at 5.50pm.

A second crash took place on the A272 involving one vehicle.

A car overturned at 7.30pm on the A282 – the driver had a lucky escape and climbed out uninjured.

Blocked roads

Roads were blocked across the county.

Firefighters from East Sussex helped police who went to motorists’ aid on the A22 near Nutley on Monday night.

There were also closures and long delays on the A280, Clapham, near Angmering, A259, East Dean, near Eastbourne, M23, A23, Turners Hill, near Crawley, A27, A29, Bury Hill, Beachy Head Road, Fairlight Road, Hastings, and elsewhere.

Chief Superintendent Paul Morrison, head of Operations, said: "Even though it seems as though the worst of the weather may have passed, it is very important that you listen to local radio for updates and take notice of the warnings.

"If you travel, make sure that you're equipped for extremes - a blanket, a flask of hot drink, water, food, a fully charged mobile phone and a shovel, for example.

Check neighbours

"If you're staying at home, please keep an eye out for elderly and vulnerable - check on your neighbours and make sure they're warm and safe.

"There is an enormous demand on the emergency services at the moment, but if someone needs medical attention or is in danger, don't hesitate to call 999 immediately.

"I would particularly like to thank the scores of volunteers, including those from the Red Cross and many individual 4x4 owners, who have turned out to assist the emergency services over the last 24 hours.

"All agencies have been working tirelessly to assist people who have been affected by the weather, especially those who have been particularly vulnerable because of age or medical reasons."

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