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SNOW warnings are in place until Sunday after Britain suffered its coldest February night in 74 years overnight - with temperatures plunging as low as -20C.

Temperatures of -20C were recorded in Kinbrace, Scotland, in the early hours of this morning.

⚡ Read our UK weather live blog for the very latest news and forecasts.

A cyclist rides through snow fall in Clowes Wood, Kent this afternoonCredit: PA:Press Association

Snow falls on Whitstable beach in Kent, as the cold snap continues to grip much of the nationCredit: Press Association

An air ambulance landed on a stretch of the M20 this afternoon after three lorries crashed in the snow and ice between Ashford and MaidstoneCredit: (c) UkNewsinPictures

Mountain ponies graze in bitterly cold weather at 400 metres above sea level on the Mynydd Epynt range near Builth Wells in Powys, WalesCredit: London News Pictures

Met Office weather maps show that up to 10cm of snow could fall over hills in Northern Scotland and the North West of England on SaturdayCredit: MET Office

The Met Office has warned power cuts and travel chaos will continue until through to the weekend.

The temperature overnight was the coldest since January 2010 when thermometers dipped to -22.3C.

The lowest recorded temperature ever in the UK for February was -21C, recorded in Woburn, Bedfordshire on February 25, 1947.

Multiple yellow weather warnings for ice and snow were in place across most of the UK, with many set to remain across swathes of the North and Scotland on Friday and Saturday.

The Met Office has also issued a new yellow warning for snow and ice for Saturday, which covers Wales, the West Midlands, Northern Ireland, the North West of England and Scotland.

The warning states that “roads and railways likely to be affected” by heavy snowfall and ice, which could see many travel services cancelled.

It adds there is a “chance that power cuts will occur and other services, such as mobile phone coverage” will be affected, while rural communities “could become cut off”.

SNOWED UNDER

Met Office weather maps show that up to 10cm of snow could fall over hills in Northern Scotland and the North West of England on Saturday.

The forecast prompted responses from local councils in England, with residents warned to take "extra care" while the cold snap lasts.

Grahame Madge, a spokesman for the Met Office, said: "The cold will begin to ebb away but it will be slow and quite erratic and there are still wintry hazards in the forecast.

"We've got potential for some more snow, heavy rain and also freezing rain."

A natural ice sculpture has formed on bushes and hedges along a road in Leatherhead, SurreyCredit: Cover Images

The Met Office has also issued a new yellow warning for snow and ice for Saturday

The sunset this evening over Balbardie Park in Bathgate, Glasgow is pictured after heavy snowfallCredit: Andy Barr - The Sun Glasgow

People walking through snow fall in Clowes Wood, KentCredit: PA:Press Association

A car is seen driving through the snow in Kelso, ScotlandCredit: PA:Press Association

Health chiefs have also issued a cold weather alert for the whole of Britain, saying the chill could have "a serious impact on health".

Dr Owen Landeg, Group Leader, Extreme Events and Health Protection at Public Health England, warned: “Cold weather can have a serious impact on health, particularly for older people and those with heart and lung problems, as it increases the risks of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.

“So it’s really important during this particularly cold period, to keep checking on frail or older neighbours or relatives, especially those living alone or who have serious illnesses.”

Several councils in England, including Rugby Borough Council and Southwark Council, in London, were forced to briefly suspend waste collection services amid extreme weather conditions.

Thurrock Council, in Essex, said that more than 100 workers, mostly from street cleaning and waste collection teams, were diverted from regular duties to help clear snow from footpaths and routes to medical centres.

The low temperatures will cause pavements and roads to remain icy for the rest of the week, said Grahame Madge, a spokesman for the Met Office.

Meanwhile, vaccination centres in Ipswich and Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk and Clacton-on-Sea and Colchester in Essex were closed due to the severe weather.