Warning Of Hard Frosts In New Cold Snap

Commuters faced treacherous conditions today after fresh snow fell across parts of Britain last night, adding to the danger of ice on the roads.

The Met Office issued a "yellow" weather warning for ice and snow across the country, with drivers warned to take extreme care because of sleet in some areas.

Just under 4in (8cm) of snow fell in Cranwell, in Lincolnshire, with forecasters predicting bitter conditions to continue over the weekend.

Sky News weather producer Joanna Robinson said temperatures in the South are plummeting as we head into the weekend.

"England and Wales will have a widespread hard frost overnight, giving icy stretches, with temperatures perhaps dropping below minus 10C in a few rural spots.

Elsewhere, it will be largely frost-free, but there will be some fog and rain around."

With black ice a major concern, there appears little likelihood of a thaw until earlier next week - with some disruption to half-term travel plans expected.

Heathrow Airport has advised passengers to check the status of their flights before travelling after snow fell there overnight.

However, it has not yet issued new warnings about flight delays after cancellations last weekend.

Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham International and Stansted have all said they are operating as normal and not expecting any disruption.

But the snow and ice has led to a string of road crashes, with lorries jack-knifing and pile-ups on major roads.

Police in Cumbria dealt with almost 100 crashes on Thursday and there were several smashes on the A66.

One man was taken to hospital after being knocked over a barrier on the Blaydon Highway flyover in Tyneside after several vehicles collided in the ice. His condition was said to be stable.

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council warned that regional road conditions would remain hazardous until the morning, describing the freezing rain as a "perfect storm".

The Association of Train Operating Companies said rail firms have geared up to deal with the bad weather.

Network Rail has been running empty 'ghost' trains and de-icer units to try and keep tracks and overhead cables free of snow and ice.