A BEAUTIFUL blanket of snow draped across parts of Essex this morning, transforming nearly everything it touched into a picturesque scene. The Met Office issued a yellow warning earlier this week after predicting parts of the county could see rather heavy snowfall throughout today. The message of caution, which is in place across the East of England and other parts of the country, is set to remain until 8pm this evening. Although the wintery weather has not quite delivered the volume and consistency of snow many had hoped for, some parts of Essex were left glistening white. In Billericay, for example, residents awoke to see their cars and streets neatly dusted like the top of a delicious Victoria sponge cake.