This lorry fell victim to the snow on Aberdeenshire's roads

Police have also warned of treacherous driving conditions, with many roads closed or only passable with care.

Airports have been affected, and the Dundee to Aberdeen rail line was closed as trains got stuck in drifting snow.

School closures have mainly affected Aberdeenshire, with 174 shut. All schools in Shetland and more than 100 in the Highlands were also closed.

Four trains became stuck in the Laurencekirk area due to drifting snow.

The London to Aberdeen sleeper was the last to get free, with the help of a snowplough, and the line was able to re-open.

A passenger on one of the trains, BBC Scotland presenter Edi Stark, said during her journey: "The joys of Scottish travel - I am on the train going backwards to Aberdeen looking out onto a complete snow whiteout."

She added: "By the time I get back to Aberdeen I will have been on this train for three hours going nowhere."

Gillian Clark and daughter Eve MacGillivray in the Aberdeen snow

Hanna Pollock and her mother were travelling by train from Gloucester to see Aberdeen University.

Hanna said when she arrived: "I'm not sure if I want to move to Aberdeen now after this. It will be murder if this happens every time it snows."

The wintry conditions have been worst in the north of the country.

There were 174 schools shut in Aberdeenshire, and 55 in Aberdeen.

All schools on Shetland, all but two in Orkney, and 101 in the Highlands were also closed.

Flights cancelled

It meant another day off for about 70,000 pupils across the country.

Inverness and Stornoway airports were closed, with disruption at Aberdeen.

Scores of passengers had to spend the night from Tuesday into Wednesday at Aberdeen Airport after de-icing machines broke down and flights had to be cancelled.

The snow caused chaos on rail lines in Aberdeenshire

Some were able to go home or were put up in hotels, but the remainder slept in the terminal which was kept open, alongside a catering service to try to make them more comfortable.

Drivers have been advised that the main A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road is only passable with care between Keith and Huntly.

There has also been heavy snow on the A9 at the Slochd summit.

Meanwhile, further attempts are to be made later on Wednesday to recover an RAF helicopter forced down by blizzards in the Cairngorms on Monday night.

The Sea King from Lossiemouth had to be abandoned during a mountain rescue after its rotors iced up.