POLICE have issued a warning, urging motorists to 'be careful' in the icy conditions.

So far this morning (Friday) 'a handful' of accidents have been reported in north east Suffolk, according to police.

And with the prospect of more snow and wintry conditions on the way, officers are urging drivers to take care as they venture out on the local roads.

At 3.20am this morning, a 32-tonne, six-wheel white sewage lorry skidded off the A145 at Sotherton, near Brampton due to ice on the road.

The empty sewage tanker became wedged between two trees and firefighters, police and the ambulance service were all called to the scene. There were problems recovering the vehicle, as crews from Halesworth, Wrentham, Loddon in Norfolk and the emergency rescue pump from Lowestoft all attended.

A witness described the road as 'like a sheet of glass,' and with the road closed 'for a period of time' - according to police - as the vehicle was recovered, the male driver was taken to Ipswich Hospital by ambulance crews with relatively minor injuries, which were not thought to be serious.

The road eventually reopened at about 7.30am.

Drivers faced delays in the early hours this morning, after a car skidded on the ice near to the Parkhill Hotel in Oulton and ended up in a roadside ditch.

A man and a lady were quickly released from the vehicle, in what was a 'damage-only' incident, but recovery of the vehicle proved more problematic as it had to be lifted out of the ditch, meaning the road was eventually clear by 8.45am.

In Frostenden, a man's car skidded on ice and crashed into a signpost. He was not injured in the collision, but the post was damaged.

And on the A12 south of Lowestoft this morning two cars collided at Pakefield.

A Suffolk police spokesman said A VW Golf and a red Rover 111 were involved in a 'damage-only' collision near the Pontin's holiday park at London Road, Pakefield, at about 7.30am. One of the cars ended up in a roadside ditch.

One person was hurt, suffering whiplash injuries, the spokesman said, but no-one is believed to have been seriously injured.

Big tailbacks built up while police officers dealt with the incident, but the road remained open to traffic.

The police spokesman said the driver of the Golf was from Kessingland and the Rover driver was from Gisleham.

As well as sending out a warning to motorists, a police spokesman encouraged locals 'not to drive too close' to the vehicles in front of them, 'leaving plenty of room between you and the vehicle in front', to 'drive slowly and in a high gear' and as well as 'being careful' to 'take precautions' before setting off on the roads.