Motorists faced treacherous drives home tonight as snow and flooding caused traffic chaos.

Problems were also being reported across the rail network, with Southeastern saying power supply problems were causing severe delays.

As of 10.30pm, Blue Bell Hill near Maidstone and Detling Hill on the A249 which had ground to a halt for several hours were said to be open.

However, South East 4x4 Response, which provides logistical support in adverse conditions to the emergency services and councils, said warned there was still lots of black ice and abandoned cars in unusual places.

Blue Bell Hill was earlier blocked in both directions and at one stage was at a standstill with drivers saying they had not moved for 90 minutes.

Some vehicles on other major routes pulled onto the hard shoulder while they wait for conditions to improve.

There were also reports that some people had abandoned their vehicles.

At one stage traffic on Detling Hill was said to have not moved for 30 minutes and then a lorry which jack-knifed on the Maidstone-bound A249 just after the Stockbury roundabout at 8.30pm and brought the entire carriageway to a halt.

As of 10pm some drivers said they had been stuck on the carriageway for up to four hours.

As of 9.25pm tailbacks were still stretching back eight miles on the M20 Wrotham Hill coastbound from the M25 (Swanley Interchange) to Juntion 2 of the A20/A227 (Brands Hatch).

Reports also came in that cars had been sliding on the M2 Junction 4 near Gillingham, while traffic was inching along the A2 at Dartford and on the A225 between Sevenoaks and Tunbridge Wells.

Stranded vehicles were said to be blocking the Maidstone exit at Junction 3 of the M2.

And in Faversham the A2 Canterbury Road between Love Lane and Station Road, Teynham, was blocked in both directions.

Police had been dealing with a series of crashes since the afternoon, including one on the A249 near Maidstone which left the front of a car a crumpled wreck.

As of 7pm congestion was said to be particularly bad in Maidstone, on large parts of the M20, the A2 near Canterbury, and Tunbridge Wells.

And at about 6pm the A299 Thanet Way was closed in both directions by police due to flooding at the Eddington Interchange.

Pumps on the A299 are understood to have been faulty but have since been repaired.

Meanwhile, a car has crashed into a house in Lucerne Street, Maidstone, amid the snowy conditions.

The flooding followed a busy afternoon for police on the roads.

Kent Police's roads unit tweeted: "Started at 2pm and already our patrols have been to a number of crashes. Please slow down, there is a lot of standing water on the roads."

A man was taken to hospital after the crash on the A249, where a car came off the dual carriageway and careered through trees near the county showground, at about 3.40pm.

Two vehicles collided on the London-bound A2 near Canterbury at 3.55pm. No one was thought to have been hurt.

As the temperature plunges overnight, there is likely to be perilous driving conditions tomorrow morning.

A Met Office snow warning is in place this evening. A separate ice warning has been issued for tomorrow morning.