FEW people were venturing out today as Teignbridge and the rest of the south west sought refuge from some of the worst weather seen in the region for a decade.

Roads remained eerily deserted this morning with motorists heeding warnings not to chance their luck in deadly conditions.

Public services remained severely fractured with trains, planes and buses succumbing to the big freeze and piles of drifting snow.

Overnight freezing rain added to the misery of many caught up in the weather’s treacherous twin menace of the Beast from the East meeting the Pest from the West in the shape of Storm Emma.

Food and other essential deliveries to shops were being hampered today with mail and newspapers also taking a hit.

A Met Office red alert has since been lifted in Devon with expectations that the weekend will usher in less destructive and slightly warmer conditions.

Some six inches of snow heaped up across Dartmoor over the last miserable 24 hours with temperatures plunging to -5.

Few households across the blasted and battered south west escaped unscathed from the white-out.

Both Telegraph and Haldon Hill were early closure victims of the onslaught from the elements which started unleashing their worst yesterday.

Numerous road accidents were reported with essential workers, including health staff, touching base with help from a fleet of 4x4 vehicles.Several 'rest centres' were opened to help motorists stranded overnight on roads into and out of south Devon, including one at Chudleigh Town Hall. Other refuges were established at the Guildhall in Totnes and Okehampton College.Police advice to motorists was explicit.'Don't take any risks.'Firefighters in Newton Abbot helped fellow emergency services get a dozen people locally to places of safety yesterday after being caught up in the extreme weather.Two people from Paignton were given a lift by firefighters to Newton Abbot Hospital where they were able to receive their urgent medication.Schools across the region remained closed because of the severe conditions.