Driving conditions have been getting ‘rapidly worse’ today with parts of Britain hit by up to four inches of snow as the ‘Pest from the West’ barrels in.
The Met Office has issued a severe warning for snow across central England and Wales, while parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland face an ice warning as the country continues to suffer from extreme conditions.
North Wales Police said snow was ‘coming down quite hard’, while Lancashire Police told drivers that conditions were getting ‘rapidly worse due to snow’ on the M65 near Blackburn, adding: ‘Take care out there’.
Today’s severe conditions will be followed by a low pressure system coming up across the Atlantic Ocean from the South West and heading towards Britain for the weekend, which has been dubbed the ‘Pest from the West’.
Police on the scene in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, after a car overturned and the area was hit by heavy snow this morning
A group of adults and children help to push a car up a snowy hill in Leeds this morning as the city is hit by severe weather
Police respond to an overturned car on a road in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, today as snow causes chaos in the region
People go sledging at Camp Hill in Woolton, Liverpool, as weather warnings of snow and ice are in effect for many areas today
Frankie Wooley, three, and his sister Heidi (both left), one, go sledging at Camp Hill, where another man holds a sledge (right)
Commuters across Leeds have woken up to heavy snowfall today with the area under a Met Office weather warning
Heavy snow showers make driving conditions difficult for vehicles today in Preston, Lancashire, including a Stagecoach bus
Pedestrians walk across a bridge in Leeds in the snow this morning as the white stuff causes disruption on roads
Commuters struggle through the heavy snow in Leeds which has brought severe conditions to northern England today
People walk through the snow in Leeds this morning, after the Met Office said up to four inches could fall in Britain today
Cars are seen in a ditch on the side of a road in East Lancashire this morning, one of the areas badly hit by the heavy snow
The system is set to bring some heavy rain, strong winds and further snow. The snow is likely to fall in northern England and Scotland over higher ground, while the South will face rain and potentially gale force winds.
Meanwhile temperatures could reach as high as 15C (59F) in the South East by the weekend depending on where the low pressure system sweeps in, with the mercury expected to be closer to 10C (50F) or 11C (52F) elsewhere.
Forecasters warned of sleet and snow for upland areas and some lower ground overnight into today in central and northern England and Wales. The Met Office said up to 4in (10cm) of snow could fall on higher ground.
The Met Office snow warning, covering the East Midlands, North West England, West Midlands, Yorkshire and Humber and Wales came into force just after midnight and ran until late this morning.
A yellow ice warning is in place for Northern Ireland and a swathe of Scotland until 9am, with forecasters advising slippery patches are likely to form on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths.
There were several reports of slow-related bus accidents in West Yorkshire, with one in Wakefield where a bus skidded on ice and hit a wall, and another bus crash on Churwell Hill in South Leeds.
Abs Rose, 22, from Leeds, warned on Facebook: ‘Please do not go out in cars and please only go out if where you have to go is within walking distance. Very dangerous and not worth it.’
Jamie Crane, 26, from York, said on Facebook: ‘This snow is an absolute joke, even worse than last week, I had to abandon my car.’ And Jason Stanley, a bus driver from Leeds, apologised for not being able to carry out his route.
He posted on Facebook: ‘Sorry to the good patient folks of Leeds I’ve tried my best but got stuck after two hours of trying, and thanks to the gent that brought myself and the other driver a hot coffee.’
In Merseyside, a man is in a critical condition after he was run over by his own car. Police said the man, in his 30s, was left trapped between a lamppost and his Ford Focus after it ‘appeared to roll back on him’.
Heavy snow on the A19 in North Yorkshire, as weather warnings of snow and ice are in effect for many parts of the country
A girl walks through snow in Liverpool as many parts of northern England are hit by severe weather this morning
A gritter drives through heavy snow on the A19 in North Yorkshire today in an attempt to keep the local roads moving
Heavy snow blankets roads across Leeds this morning as motorists face difficult conditions on their way to work
A man wheels his daughter through the snow on a bicycle this morning in Wallasey on the Wirral in Merseyside
Cars struggle in the snow in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, this morning as roads are left with thick cover of the white stuff
A man and his dog walk next to a car in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, today as parts of the country are hit by severe weather
A car is pushed on icy roads in Leeds, as weather warnings of snow and ice are in effect for many parts of the country today
It is understood he was trying to move his car in the snowy conditions in West Kirby, Wirral, this morning. Police said a call was received at around 6.25am that a man had become trapped between a vehicle and a lamppost.
She said: ‘Emergency services attended and the man was taken to hospital, where his condition is described as critical. Road closures were put in place on Grange Road between Blackhorse Hill and Gerard Road.’
Scotrail services have been disrupted today between Glasgow Queen Street and Croy and Motherwell and Cumbernauld due to signalling problems, and Glasgow Queen Street and Falkirk Grahamston due to a fallen tree.
Meanwhile there were problems reported on Merseyrail between Ormskirk and Liverpool Central due to a power supply issue, and London Liverpool Street and Southend Victoria due to a person being taken ill on a train.
Further issues were reported around Wokingham due to emergency engineering works, and between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction thanks to a speed restriction over defective track at Vauxhall.
Drivers make their way along a snowy road in Leeds this morning as West Yorkshire is hit by severe weather conditions
A man cleans snow from the steps of the University of Leeds as West Yorkshire is hit by severe weather this morning
A cyclist makes his way through the heavy snow towards Wakefield city centre in West Yorkshire this morning
Heavy snowfall in Derbyshire this morning as forecasters predict further snow and freezing temperatures over the weekend
Sheep look at a photographer in the Derbyshire countryside this morning as severe weather conditions move in over Britain
Snowy fields in the South Yorkshire village of Loxley in north west Sheffield this morning as the UK faces weather warnings
Motorcylists and drivers make their way along snowy roads in Leeds today as the area faces further severe weather
Pedestrians and cyclists make their way through the snow this morning in Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Drivers make their way along snowy roads around Wakefield this morning, including this one leading on the M1 motorway
A view from Sandal Castle overlooking Wakefield in West Yorkshire this morning, which has been left covered in snow
A car crashes onto the pavement outside a branch of Pizza Hut on Edgware Road in Central London this morning
Motorways were also reporting problems today, with severe delays on the M1 at junction nine near Luton in Bedfordshire due to a broken down vehicle and junction 42 near Wakefield in West Yorkshire due to the snow.
It comes as the country recovers from the impact of the Beast from the East and Storm Emma which brought a deep cold snap and snow and ice last week.
Water companies said they have restored supplies to most customers after days of weather-related problems, which left thousands of homes in southern England without their supply.
UK government ministers have announced a review into how water firms handled last week’s bad weather.
Commuters are left stranded for over two hours after terrifying ‘explosion’ on a train hit by power problems in the snow
Commuters were left stranded for more than two hours after reports of an explosion on a train hit by power problems in the snow.
Merseyrail confirmed services between Liverpool and Ormskirk were suspended after several angry commuters took to Twitter to complain about their morning commute.
Witnesses saw flashes where a carriage met the track on the 6.20am train from Ormskirk to Liverpool Central.
One filmed a video showing huge sparks and smoke pluming into the sky after the suspected explosion, said to be caused by bad weather.
The train caught fire shortly after it ground to a halt just after passing Old Roan station in Aintree, Merseyside. Merseyrail said it was not an explosion but caused by compacted snow trapped between the train and the track.
No one is reported to have been injured in the incident, with one passenger saying he heard three bangs. The train is said to have been stuck on the line for more than two hours since the incident, causing huge disruption on the line.
Trains were cancelled between the two locations but have now resumed this afternoon.
Merseyrail said the poor weather meant train bosses were unable to organise a rail replacement bus service, causing a headache for passengers.
Rhi Thompson, who works in the McDonalds at the Aintree shopping park near the line, watched on as the incident unfolded.
Commuters were left stranded for over two hours after reports of an explosion on a train hit by power problems in the snow. Pictured above, the stationary carriage following the ‘explosion’
She said: ‘The train was sparking, and then a bit of an explosion happened while the train was stood still. There was what looked like flames and smoke. It was a shock to see. We haven’t seen anyone get off, and hope everyone is OK.’
Mark Banks, who was on his way to work at Cammel Laird, said he had got on the train at Ormskirk at around 6.20am.
He said: ‘I’ve been on this train to Central more than two hours. I got on at Aughton, but the train was flashing all the way down the tracks. There were sparks and flashes you could see out of the window, and I could hear crackling.
‘Then near Aintree and Old Roan it got really bad, and there were three really big yellow flashes. A few people looked a bit worried. Every time they tried to get the train started, there was another big flash.
‘So they have up, and called out the engineers. They said there’s no power to the train from the electrical rail. When they try it, it sounds like it short-circuits. About 20 minutes ago, they said it had been sorted.
Merseyrail confirmed services between Liverpool and Ormskirk were suspended after several angry commuters took to Twitter to complain about their morning commute
‘They tried again, but there was another flash of light outside the window. The guard has been coming up the train talking to passengers. People are in good spirits – there’s not much you can do.’
Merseyrail said on Twitter: ‘Due to power supply problems in the Aintree area, services between Ormskirk & Walton are suspended. We have been unable to obtain a rail replacement bus & passengers on this line are advised make alternative travel arrangements. Apologies!’
It added on its website: ‘Services on the Ormskirk Line are currently suspended between Walton and Ormskirk. This is due to the heavy snow fall in the region. It has not been possible to obtain any replacement road transport owing to the state of the roads in the area.
‘Customers are advised to make their own arrangements for travel. Further updates will be posted as soon as any information becomes available. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused.’
Now that’s an ice cold beer! MailOnline readers share their snow pictures and videos (including one of a VERY upbeat motorist belting out Frozen song Let It Go)
From enjoying an outdoor pint to watching their children play in the snow, MailOnline readers are making the most of the severe weather conditions that have once again swept over the country today.
Readers have been sharing their snow pictures and videos with us today, including one of an upbeat motorist belting out the song Let It Go from the Disney film Frozen while stuck in traffic.
It comes as driving conditions got ‘rapidly worse’ today as parts of Britain are hit by up to four inches of snow, with swathes of central England and Wales under a weather warning this morning.
Today’s severe conditions will be followed by a low pressure system coming up across the Atlantic Ocean from the South West and heading towards Britain for the weekend, which has been dubbed the ‘Pest from the West’.
** Have you taken photos of the snow in Britain today? Please email them to: pictures@mailonline.co.uk **
MailOnline reader Michelle Holmes sent in this picture of her holding a pint of beer at Roundhay Park in Leeds, West Yorkshire
MailOnline reader James Beale sent in this picture of a girl enjoying the snow this morning in Preston, Lancashire
Cars and houses are covered in snow that has fallen this morning in Halifax, West Yorkshire
Trees have been left in a covering of snow in St Helens, Merseyside, as the country is hit by extreme weather
Snowfall has affected Headingley in Leeds, West Yorkshire, this morning as the North faces weather warnings
A red postbox is covered in snow in the Starbeck area of Harrogate in North Yorkshire this morning
A road is covered in snow in Gorsedd, Holywell, in North Wales today as severe weather conditions sweep in again
MailOnline reader Tracey Leigh sent in this picture of the Wirral in Merseyside covered in a layer of snow this morning
MailOnline reader Michelle Gifford sent in this picture of her garden in Leeds, West Yorkshire, at 8am this morning
Another reader sent in this picture of snow in Bradford at about 6am, adding that nothing had fallen just an hour earlier
MailOnline reader Andrew Guise sent in this photograph of a snowy garden in the Starbeck area of Harrogate, North Yorkshire
Villages cut off by the Beast from the East are finally reconnected with the outside world one week later
By Richard Marsden for the Daily Mail
Villages cut off when the Beast from the East brought blizzards and 20ft snowdrifts have finally been reconnected with the outside world.
A thaw set in at the beginning of the week in most parts of Britain.
But it was only yesterday when snowploughs finally completed work to clear roads around the North Pennines – where communities had been cut off for a week.
Deborah Hunt, 46, of Nenthead, Cumbria, faces with snowdrifts outside her door. Her house is still completely blocked off by snowdrifts
Brian Marshall, 75, clears snow from outside his house n Nenthead, Cumbria, as local residents try to get back to normal life
On Monday, there were scenes more commonly associated with famine-hit desert regions, when an RAF chinook helicopter dropped food and supplies to Nenthead, Cumbria.
Snowdrifts around the village had reached upstairs windows, with residents having their front doors and cars completely buried. Even yesterday, some cars were still completely covered in snow and homes only accessible on foot.
One farmer told how his family had to use a ladder to climb out of the upstairs windows.
Retired policeman Brian Marshall, 75, who lives on a narrow lane uphill from the village centre, said: ‘The snow reached a point last Thursday when I tried to open my front door and the snow on the opposite side was like a plastercast.
‘The snow was level with the bedroom windows and my car was buried. I was prepared – I had a month’s worth of food. But I’m on solid fuel and only had four or five days left, so I would have been in trouble if the snow had carried on.
‘It was three days before two lads dug a path to my back door and I was able to get out.’
Jane Henderson, 61, with her dog Griffin. She has only just been able to get out of her house, just in time for her to show Griffin at Crufts
Shovelling the snow from his driveway during yesterday’s sunshine was Barry Knight, 76, who lives on the outskirts of Nenthead
But Mr Marshall, a grandfather, said the internet had made a ‘big difference’ compared with the last major snowfall in the area in 2010 – because it allowed residents to keep in touch with one another.
‘Efforts to help people cut off are much better now,’ he said.
Shovelling the snow from his driveway during yesterday’s sunshine was Barry Knight, 76, who lives with wife Michele on the outskirts of Nenthead.
‘We get six months of bad weather, then there’s winter,’ he joked.
Mr Knight showed how the snow caused the roof of a caravan he uses for storage to cave in.
He said: ‘We’ve been here 26 years and have had two bad winters but nothing like this. We’ve only been out on foot to the village – and every day when I was snowing, I had to go outside to clear the path to the coal bunker.’
Farmer George Dunkerley, who lives with his children and grandchildren on a remote farm, told how they were ‘cut off by 12 feet of snow’.
Ms Hunt walks up the road to her house in Cumbria which is still completely blocked off by snowdrifts
Workers clear the snow above Nenthead which was badly hit by the severe conditions that swept across Britain last week
A car drives through a snow canyon above Nenthead in Cumbria, after residents suffered a week of being cut off from the outside world
‘We’ve got pigs, horses, but our quad bike was buried so we could only take food to them by hand.
‘We had to put a ladder out of the bedroom window to get out of the house and shovel away the snow from the door.’
Being cut off by the snow caused a different kind of problem for Jane Henderson – whose golden retriever Griffin is appearing at Crufts dog show for the first time. The event begins today at the NEC in Birmingham.
She said: ‘It wasn’t until Monday that I was able to move. I had started to panic because Griffin’s competing in dog agility at Crufts for the first time so I had to be able to get out.’
Most people had stocked up on food and essential supplies – and local residents had started to get together by last weekend to organise deliveries of food and medication to outlying households.
But Sarah Waugh, 39, who lives in a terraced house a mile outside the village and whose Golf GTI car was still completely buried by snow yesterday, missed the birth of her first grandchild.
She said: ‘My daughter Kimberley Beattie lives in the village and her baby was due when the snow fell. I couldn’t get out to see her until Monday, by which time she had already given birth to her son Brodie.
‘It was the only time I have been out – it’s been awful. I’ve been in the house alone because my partner, who works in forestry, is away. The heating broke down for three days, so I just had a small electric fire to keep warm.’
The houses where Deborah Hunt and Sarah Waugh live with their families in Nenthead, as the residents try to get back to normal life
The road from Middleton in Teesdale to Alston in Cumbria has been cut out from the snow which blanketed the area last week
Neighbour Deborah Hunt, 46, who was still unable to use her front door yesterday, told how snowdrifts were ‘higher than our roof’.
‘My partner and I went out once on foot to buy essentials from the village shop but there were eight, nine foot drifts between ourselves and the road and it was dangerous.
‘We brought food parcels from the village and delivered them to neighbours who couldn’t get out at all. Some people have it even worse – my son has been on his own on a remote farm for seven days. My ex-husband walked three miles to take him food.’
Efforts to help vulnerable residents and those cut off were co-ordinated at village pub, the Miner’s Arms – and via a Facebook group.
Landlady Alison Baker, 53, said: ‘Everyone got talking about what could be done last Thursday and we got about 40 volunteers together.
‘Our local councillor Claire Driver has been the main driver of getting help from outside, which included food parcels donated by Sainsbury’s and brought into the village by the Co-op. The chinook was requested by MP Rory Stewart, our MP.’