Weather Warning Issued As Big Freeze Continues

Severe weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office, as temperatures across the UK are plummeting towards -10C.

The alerts were issued by the Met Office for Tuesday morning in parts of south-east England and northern Scotland, and forecasters are predicting the arctic conditions to persist over the weekend and into next week.

Thermometers are expected to drop to -10C in parts of Scotland, and around -7C in southern England into Wednesday, with motorists being warned of treacherous driving conditions.

It is thought temperatures in Scotland will increase as the day continues, with the spread of rain and clouds southwards. However, severe weather warnings have been issued by the Met Office of widespread icy roads in East Sussex, Kent and Medway, with freezing rain across the north of Scotland.

Meanwhile in Wales, a number of roads and schools were affected and the drop in temperatures saw a rise in the number of people treated in hospitals for falls on ice.

Water company Severn Trent was also prompted to appeal to its eight million customers across the Midlands and Wales to protect their water systems, after reports pipes were freezing even with heating on full blast.

Pensioners were also advised to take extra precautions to ensure they stay warm during the cold weather.

Director General of Age Concern, Gordon Lishman, said: "With predictions of more snow and freezing temperatures this week we are urging vulnerable older people, who are more susceptible to the cold, to take extra precautions to stay warm and keep active.

"Many of the poorest pensioners are struggling to afford paying for essentials like food and heating. Yet despite this, up to £5 million in benefits is still going unclaimed."

(JM/KMcA)