So far, so good... millions enjoy a smooth ride home despite Easter travel warnings

Network Rail (NR) said a massive programme of engineering work on tracks across the country had gone smoothly, and the majority of train services are expected to return to normal tomorrow.

Motoring organisations had warned of widespread congestion on the roads today as families returned home after Easter weekend breaks, but the Highways Agency said there were no reports of major traffic jams.

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"We are very pleased with how it's gone - people are doing what we are advising them and checking before they go out on the roads," a spokeswoman said.

A RAC spokesman said while there are not yet any road closures the ongoing roadworks on the M1 near Luton Airport could cause long tail backs.

Other potential blackspots include the M5 between Bristol and the West Country, the M4 between London and the M4/M5 interchange, and roads radiating out from and around the M25 in London.

NR undertook a £75 million programme of day and night works throughout the Easter weekend, with 6,000 workers laying new track, repairing bridges and updating signalling systems in 30 projects around the country.

A NR spokesman said staff had worked through snow and cold weather to get the repairs done in time for tomorrow.

But while the railways suffered few delays, police said the road conditions were "horrendous" as a blanket of snow fell on the earliest Easter Sunday for nearly a century.

It was not all smooth sailing on the roads yesterday as motorists in several regions were warned to keep out of their cars during the whitest Easter since 1983.

Two ambulances had to be freed by mountain rescue teams after being trapped in heavy snow in Sedbergh, Cumbria.

Parts of north-east England, Yorkshire and Staffordshire and East Anglia were hardest hit.

Meanwhile sledging and snowman building replaced the traditional hunt for eggs yesterday after snow fell over almost every part of the country.

The unexpected late Winter bite came courtesy of an Arctic blast which sent an unseasonable shiver through the bank holiday break.

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It was up to 4in deep in some areas, leading to chaos on the roads and scores of accidents.

But no major disasters were reported and many took advantage of the springtime cold snap to enjoy winter pursuits such as snowball fights.

Forecaster Helen Rossington, of MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said parts of Cambridgeshire and western Norfolk had between 4cm and 8cm (1.6ins and 3.1ins) of snow.

The cold continued today, with temperatures in Weybourne, Norfolk, getting no higher than 2.9C.

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Easter falls on a different weekend every year, but the rules stipulate that the Sunday must not fall before March 21.

Records showed April 1-3 in 1983 was the snowiest Easter, when Scotland, the Midlands and Kent had up to 4in (10cm).

Bookmakers William Hill said they were preparing to pay out £10,000-plus to successful punters who bet on a white Easter in London after offering odds of 8/1.

Forecasters have at least predicted there will be no more snow, after winter edged out Spring to bring some of the worst Easter weather in years.