Britain's big chill breaks temperature records

Thermometers in Llysdinam in Powys, Wales, sank as far as minus 18C (-0.4F) Celsius while at Loch Fea in Northern Ireland they sank to minus 9.5C (14.9F).

In Scotland the mercury fell overnight to minus 15.3C (4.5F) at Loch Glascarnoch, while in England a temperature of minus 13.5C (7.7F) was recorded at Topcliffe in North Yorkshire.

The Met Office issued severe weather warnings of heavy snow for much of Scotland and northeast England. It said snowfalls of up to 25cm (10 inches) could accumulate on higher ground.

The cold and snow is forecast to last for a number of days, accompanied by severe frosts and icy conditions.

"The very low overnight temperatures we have seen are likely to be repeated through the coming week as the cold and snowy weather continues," said Met Office Chief Forecaster Steve Willington.

"As winds increase into next week, it will feel increasingly cold with a significant wind chill to contend with by day and night."

Braemar, in the Scottish Highlands, holds the prize for the UK's lowest ever recorded November temperature. The mercury there plummeted to minus 23.3C (-9.9F) on November 14, 1919.

(Reporting by Tim Castle; editing by Mark Heinrich)