The RAC confirmed it had the busiest February weekend in its history this weekend, with 41% more calls than usual.

The worst affected area was Devon and Cornwall which had twice the usual number of call-outs.

In addition, the south of England had 80% more breakdowns than usual and the West Midlands and Wales had 65% more.

Kevin Andrews, of the RAC, said: “The snow and ice over the weekend certainly has had a major impact on roads and has caused problems for many motorists.

“With continued frozen weather black ice is becoming a major issue on the roads. Motorists need to drive smooth and steady on the roads and avoid sudden braking and steering.

“Call volumes are still high with many car batteries struggling after the cold weekend. If you haven’t driven your car for a while then it might be worth turning the engine over to check that everything is working OK.”