Snow expected as weather worsens

Widespread snow is expected to fall across England and Scotland, as the severe weather continues to take hold of Britain.

Many areas will see up to 3cm of snow mark the start of December, while 15cm is predicted to fall in the Scottish mountains.

Edinburgh, the Pennines, the Peak District, County Durham, Yorkshire, Norfolk and East Anglia are all expected to be affected.

Overnight temperatures have dropped to -6C in many parts of Britain, from central Scotland through to Cumbria and Buckinghamshire.

The Met Office has issued a low-level severe weather warning across most of Scotland, north and east England, and north Wales, because of the freezing temperatures and snow fall.

It said: "Following showers of rain, sleet and snow on Saturday, ice is expected to form on untreated surfaces on Saturday evening and persist well into Sunday morning. Further wintry showers are likely to affect eastern coastal counties through the night.

"The public should be aware of possible disruption to travel."

And the end of the cold snap is still not in sight, with the freezing temperatures due to last into next week, possibly followed by more snow.

The white start to the month was enough to prompt record numbers of punters to place bets on snow falling on Christmas Day.

According to bookmakers Ladbrokes, more money had been staked on a white Christmas on Saturday than by any other December 1 in its history.