=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/n/a/2007/02/08/internatio= nal/i045708S09.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, February 8, 2007 (AP) Snow Causes Airport Closures in Britain (02-08) 05:21 PST LONDON, United Kingdom (AP) -- Heavy snowfall shut five British airports Thursday and forced the cancellation of some train service in England and Wales. Officials said that Luton and Stansted airports remained closed and advised travelers to contact their airlines before leaving home. Three other airports — Bristol, Birmingham, and Cardiff — reopened after workers cleared snow from their runways. Heathrow airport, Europe's largest, remained open but reported 26 cancellations. The Meteorological Office issued a severe weather warning for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and an industry group warned the transport failures could cost the economy hundreds of millions of pounds. Forecasters predicted up to 6 inches of snow could fall over parts of the Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland. London and southern England were expected to see up to 2 inches by midmorning. Hundreds of people were left waiting at Stansted airport after the runway was closed. A Stansted spokesman said workers there had cleared the runway, but that continuing snowfall meant the airport might not reopen until later in the day. The Midland Mainline train service said it was canceling some evening trains running north from London due to the weather. ----------------------= ------------------------------------------------ Copyright 2007 AP