FROSTY START
UK weather: Travel chaos alert & 1,000 homes WITHOUT power as snow and ice blanket Britain on ‘ice rink Monday’
The UKHSA has issued amber cold health alerts for five UK regions
A TRAVEL chaos alert has been issued and 1,000 homes left without power - as snow and ice blanket Britain on "ice rink Monday".
Four separate weather warnings have been issued for different parts of the UK today.
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A yellow warning for snow and ice came into force for eastern Scotland at 5pm yesterday, and will stay in place until midday.
Northern England is covered by an ice warning over the same time period.
Parts of the north west and north Wales are also affected by a snow warning, which began at 6pm yesterday and will end at midday.
And a yellow rain warning has been issued for much of south Wales and south west England from midnight until 6pm today.
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Around 1,500 homes in Cumbria have reportedly been left without power following heavy snow.
Nearly 30 flood warnings are in force across south west England as rivers swell with rainwater.
The Environment Agency has issued 28 flood warnings, mainly in Dorset and Somerset.
A Met Office spokesperson said a rain warning was also being considered for north-east England overnight.
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A crash on the M4 near Bristol Airport at 5am this morning sparked travel chaos - with huge queues across the Severn Bridge.
Heavy traffic is also building on the M60 near Manchester after a crash this morning.
National Highways said the A303 in Somerset was closed eastbound between the A37/A372 at Podimore and the A359 near Sparkford because of flooding, with no time estimated for when it would reopen.
expert Simon Williams said motorists across the UK face an "ice rink Monday".
He said: "We're expecting some very treacherous icy conditions in northern parts, so those who have to drive should exercise great caution.
"If it's possible to delay or even abandon journeys that may well be the best option.
"Those who decide to drive should leave extra space behind the vehicle in front, reduce their speeds to give plenty of time to stop.
"Before setting out, it's important to allow more time to de-ice and de-mist vehicles thoroughly."
The UK Health and Security Agency has issued five amber cold health alerts for the East Midlands, West Midlands, North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber until December 5.
The agency warned that "cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time".
A homeless man is believed to have frozen to death while sleeping in a car during the cold snap gripping Britain.
Over thirty schools in Cumbria and at least one in East Yorkshire have said they will be closed today.
The Met Office said: "England and Wales will be rather cloudy today with outbreaks of rain, some heavy.
"Snow and ice also affecting some central and northern parts, especially this morning.
"Eastern Scotland will see wintry showers and icy patches. Brighter elsewhere. Generally breezy."
The RSPCA have slammed cruel owners dumping pets to freeze to death.
Their condemnation came after someone abandoned a serpent to die in a frozen field.
Rescuers have named the 6ft boa constrictor Severus Snake, after the Harry Potter character Professor Severus Snape.
They said had he not been found in time he would have frozen to death in the icy weather.
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The search is on for the owner of Severus after he was dumped to die in a frosty field in Shipdham, Norfolk.
RSPCA staff described him as a 'beautiful boy' and said he weighs about 15lb.
Full list of schools closed today
- Hawkshead Esthwaite primary
- Broughton C of E School, Broughton in Furness
- Ghyllside Primary, Kendal
- St Mark’s Primary, Kendal
- Our Lady of the Rosary, Kendal
- Vicarage Park, Kendal
- Crosscrake, Kendal
- Dean Gibson, Kendal
- Kirbie Kendal School, Kendal
- St Thomas’s primary, Kendal
- Old Hutton school, Kendal
- St Cuthbert’s, Windermere
- St Martin and St Mary, Windermere
- The Lakes School, Windermere
- Coniston Primary School
- John Ruskin School, Coniston
- Langdale school, Ambleside
- Ambleside primary
- Ulverston Victoria High School
- Pennington school
- Staveley primary
- Croftlands Junior School, Ulverston
- St Bega’s, Holmrook
- Ormsgill, Barrow
- Dowdales School, Dalton-in-Furness
- Parkview Nursery School, Millom
- Millom infants
- Chapel Street infants, Dalton-in-Furness
- Burlington school, Kirkby-in-Furness
- Waberthwaite school
- Cartmel Priory school, Grange-over-Sands
- Askam Village School, Askam-in-Furness
- Croftlands infants, Ulverston
- Dalton St Mary’s, Dalton-in-Furness
- George Romney, Dalton-in-Furness
- St Bernard’s High School, Barrow
- Heron Hill Primary School, Kendal
- Allithwaite school, Grange-over-Sands
- Stanbury Village School, East Yorkshire
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