UK weather: London’s Trafalgar Square has frozen over

It was so cold in London last night that the fountains in Trafalgar Square froze over. 

Their contrast trickle was replaced by an eerie quiet this morning as water skidded across the ice beneath George IV’s statue. 

The temperature in the capital plummeted to -3 last night as Britain endured the coldest night of the year. The last time the fountains froze over was in January 2016 – almost two years ago. 

Quiet: The fountains’ contrast trickle was replaced by an eerie quiet this morning as water skidded across the ice beneath George IV’s statue

Eerie: The temperature plummeted to -3 last night as Britain endured the coldest night of the year with lows of -13 in Shropshire

The adverse weather has led to fresh disruption today as flights were cancelled, schools remained shut, drivers faced lengthy tailbacks and Eurotunnel passengers were delayed for at least six hours.

Vast swathes of the country fell below freezing last night – with -13C (8.6F) recorded in Shropshire – and forecasters warned of another ‘chilly’ night to come, with a further ice warning in place for tomorrow morning.

Passengers travelling on Eurotunnel Le Shuttle services in both directions between Folkestone and Calais faced huge delays overnight, with the firm blaming damage to the power supply on ‘horrific’ weather conditions. 

Hundreds of British Airways flights to and from London Heathrow have been cancelled, leaving an estimated 100,000 passengers now stranded. Most routes have been affected, including New York, Berlin, Dublin and Rome. 

A lorry trailer and its cab which became detached near junction four of the M5 in icy conditions near Birmingham today

A breathtaking view across Loch Leven, reflecting the snow covered peaks surrounding Glencoe in the Scottish Highlands

The sun rises over the River Thames at Benson Lock in Oxfordshire, parts of which were frozen this morning

St Mary’s Church of England Primary School, in Britain’s coldest location last night of Shawbury in Shropshire, which is shut