Dig in! The worst is yet to come: Roads gridlocked and airports closed as snow havoc looks set to last through weekend

Keep those sledges and shovels at hand. We may already have had as much as ten inches of snow – but it seems things are only going to get worse.
Snow and ice will continue to wreak havoc across the country for days, forecasters have warned, with conditions likely to become increasingly treacherous.
After a day in which heavy snowfall closed schools and airports and caused gridlock across Britain, the Met Office warned that two more nights of freezing weather could make travel even more dangerous.
Hugs: Simon Bates, 23, skis into a snowman in Brandon Hill Park in the centre of Bristol after much of the South West was covered in a blanket of snow

 

Playtime! Luca Pegram, 12, sledges off a snow jump in Brandon Hill park in Bristol city centre with more than 2,000 schools shut

 

Royal duty: Tourists have not been left disappointed in London, where the changing of the Guard has taken place as usual in Horse Guards Parade

Time for work: London Miniland in Legoland provided an accurate picture of what the capital might end up looking like later

 

Building blocks: A model Big Ben still gets a deserved clean by a plucky member of staff at the Legoland theme park in Windsor

 

This dog seems to be turning into a snowball as it runs around in Norfolk

 

Losing control: Cars struggle to gain purchase on the snow-covered A367 near Bath

By last night, motorways were impassable, airports had shut  down, schools closed their doors and roads were gridlocked as Britain ground to a chilly halt.
Ten inches (25cm) of snow were recorded in parts of Wales, while around 3.5in (9cm) fell in parts of the Midlands and Wiltshire and 3in (7.5cm) was recorded at Northolt in north-west London. Forecaster Gemma Plumb of MeteoGroup said snow had come in 'from all directions' overnight, with strong winds in the South West and Wales causing 'blizzard conditions'.

 

And the AA advised that the combination of compacting snow and continued icy temperatures could prove  lethal for drivers. 'We're likely to see treacherous driving conditions throughout the weekend and any fresh snow on top will just add to the problems,' a spokesman warned.
Met Office chief forecaster Frank Saunders said: 'Although some further snowfalls are likely, the focus switches to ice, with temperatures staying below zero over snow cover for many areas.'

 

A snow covered Victoria Park in London as night descends on the capital

 

Submerged: A car skidded off a slippery road and plunged into a stream in Heyshott, north of Chichester in West Sussex

 

 

Police found time to have a snowball fight with a group of youngsters in Poole, Dorset

 

On the runway: Tractors clear snow from the stands at Heathrow, where there were 404 cancellations

 

A longtailed tit pictured in the Berwyn Mountains, near Corwen

 

Motorists wander on the road as traffic grinds to a halt on the A417 outside Cirencester, between Swindon and Birdlip Hill, Gloucestershire

 

Jack-knifed: A lorry gets stuck on University Road as heavy snow disrupts traffic in Bristol

 

Barely visible: The Clifton Suspension Bridge, near Bristol, captured by Joanna Shapley

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heating things up: These two brave ladies strip to their bikinis for a snow-fuelled barbecue, left, while Emily Simmonds enjoys a chilled cocktail, pictured right

Ready, aim, fire! Dorset Police officers having a snowball fight with the children in Poole
At Heathrow airport, just 2in (5cm) of snow was enough to lead to a runway closure and 404 flight cancellations – almost a third of those scheduled – by late afternoon yesterday.
This was despite bosses spending £36million on a 'winter resilience programme', including £11million on snow ploughs and de-icing vehicles.
Amber and Olivier Cumer, who were booked on a British Airways flight to Lyon, France, on holiday with their one-year-old daughter Anais, said: 'It's awful, We've never seen anything like this. It is just a bit of snow, it happens every year but they just don't seem to know what to do about it.'

 

The departures board in Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport showing cancelled flights due to bad weather

 

Passengers waiting to rebooked their flights in Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport

 

A waiting passenger sits on her luggage in Arrivals of Terminal 5 Heathrow Airport

Long wait: Huge queues form at Heathrow Terminal 5 after more than 300 flights were cancelled in the blizzards and flights were cut to a quarter of their usual number

Come fly with me: BA planes sit on the runway at Heathrow as staff at the country's main gateway try their best to keep the network moving

 

 

 

Best efforts: Staff at Heathrow, Britain's busiest airport, have been working hard to keep the transport hub ticking over despite the appalling conditions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hazardous conditions: A Snow plough attempts to keep the M4 at Cardiff open as snow falls heavily in South Wales
American Jacob Burtschi, 28, who plays professional basketball in Europe, said he couldn't believe the problems a small amount of snow had caused.
'I have waited in line for eight hours and been told three different things and I'm no closer to getting back,' he added.
'For snow like this to cause this much chaos, I have not seen that before.' A Heathrow airport spokesman blamed 'visibility problems which we can do nothing about' for the delays and cancellations.

 

 

 

 

Fascinating view: Central London, seen from the viewing platform at the Shard, was covered by a layer of fresh snow by 8.30am

 

Grinding to a halt: Passengers wait to speak to staff at the Flybe desk in Brimingham Airport, left, where flights were cancelled, right, because of the severe weather

 

 

 

Patiently waiting: Passengers queuing at the Flybe customer service desk at Birmingham Airport, which was forced to close because of the weather

On track: Train services, such as those in Brighton Station in East Sussex, have been running, with passengers and staff showing great spirit as they battle the elements

Buckle up: Just a handful of motorists brave usually packed M4 at Chieveley in Berkshire, where the normal three lanes are down to two

 

A police car attends the scene of a collision on the A27 during icy conditions near Uckfield, East Sussex

 

Oops! A car slides up a bollard on the icy roads in Hackney, east London, with ice likely to be an issue for days to come

Go slow: The heavy snow has also hit Norfolk where some drivers have taken to the roads despite been advised to take extreme caution

Blocked: A gritter was unable to get through on the A44 trunk road near Ponterwyd, Wales, after a lorry became stuck in the snow

Team effort: Workers put their back into clearing the snow from platforms at Petersfield Station, Hampshire, as people rally together to overcome the conditions

 

Playtime: A man clears a path inside the children's play area at Victoria Park in Bristol, which was expected to be busy with families enjoying the snow

As snow continued to sweep across the country yesterday, Wales, the West Country, the West Midlands and southern England were the worst hit. In the West and South  Wales, 10,000 people were without power after the sheer weight of snow brought down power lines across the Western Power network.
Meanwhile, in Birmingham, drivers reported 15-minute journeys taking six times as long as the city centre became gridlocked. The situation was little better on the railways, with many operators cancelling trains because of the  difficult conditions.
Darron Burness of the AA said: 'There's been a big impact on the roads as the snow fell so heavily with traffic crawling on many routes and we've had reports of journeys taking three or four times longer than usual.'
The Met Office had a rare red severe weather warning, meaning 'take action', in place over the South Wales valleys, while much of Wales, the West Midlands and South and West England remained under an amber 'be prepared' alert.
Temperatures yesterday  hovered as low as minus  3C, with Pershore, Worcestershire, and Church Lawford, Warwickshire, among the coldest locations.

 

 

 

 

Snowed in bride: But Carly Taylor and milkman Richard Smith got to celebrate their white wedding in Swindon, before heading to the reception in a milk float

Heavenly: Llangyfelach Church in Swansea was a beautiful sight this morning as it stood surrounded by undisturbed snow

 

 

 

Cosy kids: Hudson sets out on a snowy walk near Battersea Dogs' Home in a snug red jumper while a boy steers a sledge down a snowy slope in Penarth near Cardiff

Craftsmanship: A carefully constructed snowman sits on a bench in Bristol, where some people having been taking full advantage with a day off

 

 

 

Child's paradise: A young boy finds shelter in High Bickington, Devon, left, while a girl and man walk home after a day's sledging in Kington, Herefordshire

 

 

Venturing out: A woman makes her journey regardless of the weather in a very snowy Oddown Bath, Somerset

 

 

Hold on tight: Children and adults have been loving the conditions in St Andrew's Park in Bristol and wasted no time in grabbing their sledges

 

Snowfront: There were blizzard conditions on the seaside at Littlehampton seafront in West Sussex, where there was not a sunbather in sight

 

Grin and bear it: There has been no shortage of smiles at St Andrew's Park in Bristol, which has been a destination of choice for the city's seldgers

 

Letting off steam: Bathers enjoy the rooftop pool at the Thermae Bath Spa as snow continues to fall around them in Bath

 

Warmed up: A bather has no need to wrap up warm after enjoying a dip in the outdoor Thermae Bath Spa in Bath

 

 

 

White park: The capital's Green Park in Westminster is barely living up top its name, with snow having reached London earlier

 

 

 

Seaside snow: Snow not sand dominated the beaches around the Grand Pier in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset

 

 

 

Daring: A woman carefully makes her way through a snow-covered Bristol, while Rob Clarke, 23, takes to the air during a ski trip to the city's Brandon Hill

 

Standing firm: Brunel's masterpiece the Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol looks stunning surrounded by 15cm of snow

 

Ouch: A young girl takes a tumble while taking full advantage of a day off school by sledging in Perrett's Park, Bristol

 

Mane attraction: Even the grand looking lions at the foot of Nelson's Column in London's Trafalgar Square have been covered in snow

Majestic: Stags lie peacefully in Richmond Park, London, as snow covers their backs in this festive scene

Red alert: Red deers perform a mock rut as the snow sweeps across Richmond Park in south west London

 

 

 

 

 

Great outdoors: A father and son and five--year-old cocker spaniel Mango have been making the most of the conditions in a snowy Victoria Park, Bristol

 

Got the hump: A Bactrian camel gets its fur covered in snow as its strides around Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire

 

 

Mother nature: A snow leopard, left, lives up to its name and a meerkat, right, compares the weather conditions at Twycross Zoo, Leicestershire

 

Horse play: Race meetings may be abandoned because of the snow but it does not mean horses, like these in Malton, North Yorkshire, should not get exercise

 

 

Worries: David Cameron leaves Number 10 for the Commons as the first flakes of snow fall, to deliver a statement on the hostage situation in Algeria

 

 

Iconic image: The driving snow gives a timeless feel to this picture of a policeman guarding the door to No 10

 

 

 

Chilled: A man braves the snow in shorts in Bristol, left, while a group of friends sleep through the long wait at Heathrow Terminal 5

 

 

On duty: A Metropolitan Police officer puts up with the cold and snow to carry out his duties at Buckingham Palace in London

From on high: Rooftops are covered in snow in the Mount Pleasant area of Swansea in south Wales, where snow fell overnight and into the morning

Pulling together: A police Discovery vehicle tows a bus up a hill as officers do their bit to keep things moving in Alnwick in Northumberland

 

 

 

Public service: Police officers lend a helping hand to a bus driver in Alnwick in Northumberland after his vehicle got into trouble on an icy stretch of road

 

Full steam ahead: A South West Train continues in Bournemouth, where the snow on either side of the tracks is lit up by the spark from the electric connections

 

Providing a service: A South West Train does its best not to disappoint passengers as it passes through Haslemere, Surrey, on its way to London Waterloo

 

Non stop: Traffic continues to bustle its way around Trafalgar Square in London's West End under the towering Nelson's Column

Helping hand: Motorists help each other out on the normally busy A367 after a van slipped in the snow

 

Home sweet some: A dog looks out at a passing woman and children from the front garden on a thatched cottage High Bickington, Devon.

 

Bumpy ride: Seren Morse, 11, has a big grin on her face as she goes flying off her sledge in Pyle, near Porthcawl in Wales

 

Lift-off: A BA plane is de-iced at Heathrow as the airline and airport staff do all they can to get flights off the ground

 

Camouflage: A White Bengal tiger blends into the background as the snow falls on West Midlands Safari Park in Bewdley

Rush-hour misery: Snow hits Upper Leytonstone in east London when the band of severe weather hit the capital earlier than expected, at 8.30am

 

All aboard: A bus attempts to complete its route in Bristol, while others opt to either walk or cycle to work instead

 

 

 

 

 

 

Struggling on: A Royal Mail employee delivers mail in the heavy snow in Aigburth, Merseyside, left, and a resourceful commuter skis down Park Street in Bristol, right

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rail misery: Commuters suffered at Surbiton Station in south west London this morning because of cancelled trains

 

Uphill struggle: The authorities in Swansea have been working hard to keep the city's infrastructure running, while much of the region is brought to a standstill

 

 

Tailback: Cars travelled slowly and in single file along the M4 in Swansea, where speed restrictions have been reduced to 30mph

Gleeful: More than 2,000 schools closed today with Wimborne Model Town in Dorset becoming six-year-old Maya Wheeler's personal winter wonderland

 

 

 

Brave: Rosie Sullivan, 27, spent the morning taking a dip at the open air Clifton Lido, Bristol, which was surrounded by heavy snow

 

Frosty fun: Families take photographs of their impressive snowman in Victoria Park, Totterdown, Bristol as they enjoy a day of leisure

 

Shivering on the seaside: Anthony Gormley's Another Place is almost obscured by heavy snow on Crosby Beach, Merseyside

 

Thrilled: Oscar Black, five, and his twin brother Leo play with their mother Francoise Ozanne on Dartmoor, Devon

 

 

Slipstream: A 4x4 driver follows closely behind a snow plough clearing the roads in Petersfield, Hampshire

 

Order: Westminster Bridge in London provides a misty view of the Houses of Parliament as snows continues to fall from the skies above the capital

 

 

 

 

 

Crash: A heavy-goods lorry carrying a load of rubbish tipped over on an icy road in North Shields, near Newcastle, causing severe delays as they road was closed

 

 

 

 

 

 

White-out: Snow maps show the wide swathe of snow covering the UK, with up to 12 inches forecast in the worst areas

 

Brave face: A father pushed his youngster through the snow in Cardiff this morning, with the empty road proving an easier route than the icy pavement

 

Thaw: Some of the snow had already turned to slush on Cardiff's roads after motorists got behind the wheel regardless of the conditions

 

Hampered: A motorist is determined to drive his children in his snow covered car despite the icy conditions in Plymouth