More on the way: Britain blanketed as drivers face nightmare conditions... and it's going to keep falling for FOUR DAYS
- More snow expected later today and early part of the week
- Britain gripped by treacherous conditions as snow turns to ice
- Up to 10cm in some parts as cold front sweeps north
By SAM WEBB
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There is no end to the big freeze in sight as snow continued to blanket vast swathes of Britain this morning - and it will keep falling for four more days.
Large parts of the country were covered, with up to 4cm falling in the West and North and 6cm in the East Midlands, East Anglia and the South-East, including London. Up to 10cm could fall in some areas, and 15cm on higher ground, weather experts said.
The freezing temperatures will effectively keep the country white for two weeks as the cold snap refuses to let the snows thaw.here is no end to the big freeze in sight as snow continues to blanket vast swathes of the UK this morning - and will continue to do so for the next two weeks.
A Met Office spokesman said a band of snow will push north from the South East through Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire and could reach as far as the East Midlands by the end of today.
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Wrapped up: A woman walks her dogs through the snow in Barnard Castle, County Durham on Saturday, as the big freeze continues across the UK
No end in sight: Britain will continue to shiver as snow and freezing temperatures sweep across the country
The prediction of prolonged cold weather will bring a further chill to commuters and holidaymakers after two days of snow brought airports and transport networks to a shuddering halt.
Over the next three days it will continue to stay cold, with snow affecting the South East that will continue to push north.
The cold spell, already nine days long, will last at least another week, with the Met Office forecasting lows down to -13C and more snow in the West by Friday.
Majestic: The Blues and Royals, Household Cavalry changing the guard at House Guards Parade in London
A couple enjoy the weather on the Victoria Embankment and take a photo with the Sphinx at Cleopatra's Needle
Tourist and siteseers cross the River Thames on the Millennium Bridge in the shadow of St Paul's
Bird's eye: A view of the famous glass houses from the Treetop Walkway at Kew Gardens in London
Stark beauty: The freezing River Dee in Llangollen, North Wales
What are you looking at?: A hen pheasant fluffs her feathers into a ball to keep out the cold at Stonegate in East Sussex, while a woman braves the cold on Brighton beach near the iconic pier
Cute: Billy the Eagle Owl gets wrapped up for the snow after birthday girl May Eastland, 4, from Portsmouth, lent him her new scarf and a tiny hat to keep him warm
May's dad Andy, 35, said: 'She was worried about him because we always tell her to wrap up warm to stop her from catching a cold. We tied her new scarf gently around him and popped an old hat on his head and she said "he won't get sick now"'
The forecast for Monday is 2-5cm of snow, with 10cm on ground over 200m, falling on top of ice across the South-West and South-East - with London at risk - from the early hours.
The East, North-East and eastern Scotland are all forecast 'heavy snow' at 9am, with 2-5cm falling on lower ground and more than 20cm on ground over 300m.
Tuesday will see further snow threaten London and the South-East, the South and North-East - with eastern Scotland facing 2-5cm at lower levels and 10cm over 200m.
Parts of Britain will be even colder than Vladivostock, Siberia, which will only fall to -9C at night in midweek.
Toe-tally frozen: Staffordshire saw a foot of snow after artisitic Stephanie Phillips, 22, built this sculpture in Burton-on-Trent
The snow foot took around two hours to build using various garden tools to carve the toes and shape. Stephanie said: 'People walking past found it quite funny'
A woman walks through a line of snow-covered trees in Clifton, Bristol, as snow grips the South West
The Weather Channel forecast lows down to -20C from midweek and said a two-week chill with widespread sub-zero nights and days close to freezing only happens on average 'once every 10 years'.
Weather Channel forecaster Leon Brown said: 'We expect very cold conditions to last another week - and a two-week period such as this, with sub-zero nights and days close to freezing is a one in 10 year occurrence.
'We could see -15C to -20C lows later in the week in the Midlands, mid-Wales and Scottish Highlands.'
The smiling Queen accepts a bouquet of flowers from a youngster
The Queen and Prince Philip brave the cold to attend church at Castle Rising on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk today
Prolonged winter freezes were very rare in past decades, until cold spells in the 2009-10 winter and December 2010.
The Government’s cold weather health warning, ordering health staff to make daily contact with the elderly, ill and vulnerable, has been extended until at least Thursday.
The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for ice for much of the country and advised people to take extra care as snow turns to ice in the sub-zero conditions.
Tow in the snow: Bournemouth University student Olly Smith, 21, was so desperate to hand in his coursework he was towed by a 4x4 on skis in a bid to beat the weather
Daredevil: Mr Smith clutched an extension lead attached to a 4x4 and was filmed by his friends
Blinding: A canopy of snow-encrusted trees hangs over a passing 4x4 near Simonsbath, Somerset
Little Eskimo: Amelia Honor, age 7, emerges from an igloo on the Bristol Downs
The Brecon and Monmouthshire canal frozen over in the village of Llangynidr in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Powys, Wales
Dangerous: An Audi drives along the M4 yesterday with a gap of only a few inches in the snow on its windscreen
While thousands of passengers were stranded at Heathrow airport for a second day yesterday amid grounded planes, four climbers were swept to their deaths in an avalanche in the Scottish Highlands.
They were climbing on Bidean Nam Bian near Glencoe when a snow-covered slope is believed to have given way, sending them hundreds of feet to their deaths. Two of the six-strong party survived, one of whom, a woman, is seriously injured in hospital.
A snow-shrouded tree near the village of Llanvihangel Tor-y-Mynydd, in Monmouthshire. Snow drifts up to two metres deep built up in exposed areas
Seven people were also taken to hospital after a double-decker bus collided with two cars and ploughed into a garden, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service said.
London's Heathrow Airport is braced for another day of chaos today as around 260 flights are to be cancelled - more than twice the number yesterday, and 20% of the total number of departures.
Following a joint decision by Heathrow, airlines and air traffic control, the flight schedule will be reduced in an effort to minimise the expected disruption caused by snow and low visibility.
Passengers were left fuming yesterday, mainly at British Airways , after it cancelled at least 100 flights, leaving them stuck for hours on planes or stranded at the airport.
Many branded BA's treatment of them as 'appalling', accusing staff of not keeping them informed as to what was happening.
BA and the airport insisted they were doing everything they could in difficult circumstances.
Travellers at regional airports including Leeds Bradford, Humberside and Newcastle were also frustrated by delays and disruption caused by the wintry weather.
The road and rail networks are also braced for further bad weather.
The M48 Severn Bridge linking England and South Wales is closed in both directions between junctions 1 and 2, and is not expected to reopen until noon.
Among rail services, Eurostar is warning all trains will be delayed today, with a number of services to and from Paris and Brussels cancelled. Southern will run an amended timetable tomorrow because of forecast snow,
Freezing conditions have also also prompted motoring organisations to issue warnings.
Darron Burness, the AA's head of special operations, said: 'With the snow compacting down and turning icy, we're likely to see treacherous driving conditions throughout the weekend.
'Any fresh snow on top will just add to the problems.'
Sally Webb, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said today's snow would be heaviest in the South East, East Anglia and the East Midlands, spreading into the West Midlands, West Wales, Lincolnshire and Lancashire and southern parts of Scotland.
'It is going to remain cold for at least the next week,' she said. 'We expect it to remain cold and there to be snow or sleet for the next week in most areas.
'It will also be icy everywhere, especially with the snow melt, and temperatures are going to be no more than 1C, dropping below zero overnight.'
Meanwhile, a 'foot' of snow was seen in Staffordshire yesterday as Britain's temperatures plummeted. Creative Stephanie Phillips, 22, built this sculpture of a foot using snow while out enjoying the cold conditions at Branston cricket club in Burton-on-Trent.
The snow foot took around two hours to build using various garden tools to carve the toes and shape.
Stephanie said: 'I started with a base of blocks of snow and then used a trowel to carve the toes and shape the foot.
'People walking past found it quite funny.'
Air time: Joseph Tanti, 14, of Crickhowell, Powys, Wales makes the most out of the snow on the surrounding hills
Snow fun: The Brecon Beacons were draped in snow, attracting scores of youngsters with their sledges
Frolic: Kirsten Cook with her dog Millie enjoying sledging in Birmingham. Ice and freezing temperatures are expected across the UK, as well as more snow - particularly in eastern parts of the country
VIDEO 250+ flights cancelled at Heathrow as snow blankets country
VIDEO MailOnline reader's snow video from across the country
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