Brrr! It's certainly been a chilly start to the new decade.

Like most of the country, South Pembrokeshire has been transformed into a winter wonderland.

In the grip of Arctic-like conditions since before Christmas, the area saw its first snow fall on New Year's Day.

And while the white blanket has created many picture postcard scenes, it has created havoc on the roads for motorists.

At the peak of the wintry storms on Tuesday, some drivers took several hours to make short journeys because of the weather, while others were forced to abandon their cars and walk.

We have heard stories of people taking four hours to get from Haverfordwest to Tenby and others of people having to stay overnight in the county town because it was impossible for them to reach this side of the county.

A large number of schools have been closed and meetings and classes cancelled.

Tenby's weather recorder, Trisha Putwain reports that the last three weeks have seen the maximum reach double figures (celsius, of course) only once (10.0 on the 26th which was good for the Boxing Day Swim), with the minimum frequently below zero.

"The minimum has been sub-zero every day so far this year, but the sunshine has been between five and seven hours each day," said Trisha.

"On Monday, the temperature inside the screen was -4.8, which is the coldest I've ever measured at the 9 am reading, having reached a minimum overnight of -5.8, which is also the lowest I can remember since Dicky and I started recording in 1996."

Tuesday was also a busy day for the emergency services.

Firefighters from Pembroke Dock and Narberth were called to a two-vehicle crash in Lawrenny at 9 am.

It was initially reported that a casualty was trapped in a vehicle, but when they arrived at the scene everybody was out.

The crews made the vehicles and the area safe.

On their way back to their station, the Narberth brigade came across another two-car crash, near the Boars Head in Templeton.

They stopped and were involved in making the area safe.

Narberth bore the brunt of a number of traffic problems caused by the weather during that morning.

At one point, it was reported that 10 cars were stuck at Narberth Bridge.

In addition, there was also a collision near the War Memorial, while a lorry was stuck on the other side of the cenotaph blocking the one-way system.

And the disruption continued across the county on Wednesday.

Refuse collections were disrupted, with collections only taking place on main streets.

All learning disability day centres in the county were closed, together with older people's day centres.

All eight secondary schools were closed, together with Portfield Special School and a number of primary schools. Thirty-two schools did, however, remain open.

The council's contact centre received over 800 calls alone between 7 am and 11 am, while highway maintenance teams worked round the clock to try and keep the roads clear and traffic moving.

"We have three crews for each gritting lorry, working shifts so that we have 24 hours a day cover," said Brian Maddocks, head of maintenance, on Wednesday morning.

"We have an adequate stock of salt for the primary routes for the next three days, and we are getting daily supplies of salt. The non-primary routes are having more difficulties, but we are hoping to do some work on them today."

He also praised the maintenance teams.

"I've been more than delighted," he said. "Ever since the week before Christmas, they have been working round the clock. I'd like to say a big thank you to them and their families."

Meanwhile, Hubert Mathias, transport and fleet manager, praised the bus drivers and taxi drivers who managed to get 6,000 pupils home from school on Tuesday in difficult and hazardous conditions.

"They showed a lot of perseverance, and I'd like to thank them for their efforts," he said.

Mr. Mathias, himself, was involved in helping get children and staff home from Portfield Special School in Haverfordwest.

The pupils - some of whom live in the Kilgetty area - had left school in their minibus at 2.30 pm, but an hour later still had not left Haverfordwest because of the traffic chaos caused by the weather.

As some of the pupils needed attention, food and medicine, the minibuses returned to the school and it was not until around 8 pm that they managed to get minibus transport onto the roads.

With Mr. Mathias leading the way in a 4x4 vehicle, all were safely home by 11 pm.