LONDON, March 21 (AFP) - Spring snow and violent winds led to the closure Wednesday of two airports and made driving conditions hazardous, British emergency services said.

Luton airport, north of London, was closed for two and a half hours delaying several flights before it reopened at 0815 GMT. Birmingham airport, in the centre of the country, also fell foul of the bad weather and was closed for an hour and a half.

The snowfalls, which reached 10 centimetres in places, blocked off several minor roads in Devon and rivers threatened to burst their banks. The driving conditions are very hazardous on various roads today across the north-west and Wales due to the heavy snowfall, the Automobile Association said, advising that people should take care and not drive unless they really have to.

On officially the second day of spring, the snow and violent winds are prolonging one of the most disastrous winters in British memory which started with record floods in November and December.