Transport chaos hit London as children built snowmen in gardens, schools were closed and postal workers skied down high streets during the British capital’s biggest snowfall in decades.

The usual noise of peak-hour traffic and the hum of the city succumbed to a magical quiet as the British capital disappeared under a mantle of pristine powdery snow and airports were closed and train and bus services were halted.

Huge tracts of Britain slowed down but London was the hardest hit as the snow kept falling. A total of 30 centimetres was expected in the next 24 hours.

Most flights at London’s Heathrow airport were grounded after one jet slid off a taxiway.

A Cyprus Airways plane with 104 passengers came off the icy taxiway at Heathrow, the world’s busiest international airport, airport operator BAA said. No injuries were reported.

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London Snow February 2009 video