Snow alert as Arctic freeze blasts Britain

SNOW-BATTERED regions are set for bone-chilling freezes of at least -17C and even an Arctic -20C. Some areas could be blanketed by nearly 4in of snow today and drivers and passengers could be stranded, the Met Office warned. Power cuts and train and air cancellations were also expected. Today's amber weather alert was issued as fresh Arctic flurries battered the South West last night with snow covering parts of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset.

- By Chris Riches

Yesterday, minimum temperatures plunged to as low as -8.4C in the village of Shap, Cumbria, and -7C in Tulloch Bridge, Scotland.

It was also the coldest night of the winter for Northern Ireland with -6.9C in Katesbridge, Co Down.