Thousands of children look set for a second day off school as heavy snowfalls continue to cause severe problems across Scotland.

Almost all Highland schools will remain closed on Tuesday, affecting 25,000 pupils.

All schools in Moray and on Shetland will also be closed.

Meanwhile, drivers in many parts of Scotland are being warned not to make their journey unless it is absolutely necessary.

Snow misery continues

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Snow and icy conditions have led to a spate of accidents across the country.

Most main roads across the country are open, but police issued a general warning that many are only passable with care.

But in Inverness, the Highlands, Aberdeenshire, the Stirling area and Dumfries and Galloway drivers were asked to stay at home unless their journey was necessary.

A Grampian Police spokesman said the eastern part of the region had been affected by ice while the western half was badly hit with snow.

A number of major roads were closed in the Highlands, including the A9 at Nevidale, in Caithness, with drifting snow causing problems on the A9 south of Inverness at Slocht.

Also closed were the A835 Tore to Ullapool - at Corrieshalloch and the A889 Dalwhinnie to Laggan.

In Aberdeenshire police were urging caution on the A96 in the Huntly and Elgin areas, while the A939 Ballater to Lecht road was closed.

Horrendous conditions

Hundreds of schools in the Highlands, Orkney, Shetland, Fife, Moray and Dumfries and Galloway have been closed because of the weather.

A spokesman for Highland Council confirmed that more than 120 schools in the region were shut forcing more than 20,000 pupils to stay at home.

On Tuesday, they will remain closed, with only the 32 schools in Lochaber making decisions locally.

The worst affected area is Caithness where every school was shut by the weather.

In Dumfries and Galloway 30 schools were closed including three secondaries.

More than 30 primary schools are closed in the Moray area and in Aberdeenshire. The main area affected is around Banff.

Inverness Airport has re-opened after snow cover on the runway forced it to stop all flights, although more snow is forecast.