Yellow alert as chill to hit West

A YELLOW cold health alert has been issued by the UK Health Security Agency for the South West and most of southern England this week as temperatures plummet.

- STEPHANIE WAREHAM

An amber alert is also in place for the North East, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber, as snow and ice are forecast across northern England and in Scotland. The alerts indicate the weather is likely to cause "significant impacts across health and social care services" including an increase in demand for health services; temperatures inside places such as hospitals, care homes and clinics falling, and a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions.

The yellow alert runs until 8am on Saturday in the South West, East Midlands, West Midlands, South East, East of England and London.

The Exeter-based Met Office has issued multiple yellow weather warnings for snow and ice affecting parts of Scotland and northern England up to Thursday, with subzero temperatures expected during the first cold snap of the year.