Crash woman dies and schools closed as snow returns

A woman died in a three-vehicle crash on the A96 near Huntly

A woman has died and several other people have been hurt in road accidents as winter conditions returned.

The woman, in her 60s, was among four people involved in a three-vehicle crash on the A96 near Huntly at 1100 GMT.

A man was also taken to hospital after a car flipped onto its roof on the A96 at the Tyrebagger.

The return of snow closed all schools on Shetland, as well as some in Orkney and Aberdeenshire.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said the three people injured in the crash near Huntly were taken to Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin.

They were understood to be two women aged 45 and 75, and a 76-year-old man.

Accidents were reported as the winter weather returned to Aberdeenshire

Their injuries were not believed to be serious.

Heavy snow showers coupled with high winds on Shetland were making driving conditions difficult.

Grampian Police said most of the region's roads were open, but a handful were closed or passable with care.

Sixteen consecutive days of serious snow problems in the north east of Scotland had ended last Friday.