'Extreme weather event' expected in Britain

Millions of people living in southern England and the Home Counties were told to prepare themselves for up to 40cm of snow last night as Britain remained in the grip of the longest prolonged spell of cold weather for 30 years.

Not everyone has been so concerned about the unusually high levels of snow though.

Those able to get out and enjoy the weather in Britain have done so in style.

Footage has been posted on YouTube of those making the most of the snow by going sledging - without clothes on.

Nevertheless, the Met Office has issued its highest level of alert, warning of an impending "extreme weather event" that would bring travel chaos and threaten power supplies.

Forecasters said it would be snowing in London before dawn, bringing widespread disruption to the capital and forcing many workers to stay at home.

Further, they said the freezing conditions were expected to continue for up to two weeks.

"This type of warning is very rare," one meteorologist said.

"A period of exceptionally heavy snowfall is expected with accumulations of 15-30cm and perhaps in excess of 40cm."

The National Grid also issued an alert urging power suppliers to use less gas as it tried to find more supplies from overseas following a 30 per cent rise in demand.

Gordon Brown and Business Secretary, Lord Mandelson, sought to ease fears that Britain was running out of power, insisting that reserves would last through the cold snap, but shadow energy secretary Greg Clark claimed the UK had just eight days of gas remaining.

The Prime Minister said: "I think Britain can deal with these problems. There are always difficulties when we have a long spell of bad weather. But we can cope."

Weather forecasters and advisors worked closely with the Highways Agency, local authorities and government agencies to prepare for the latest wintry blast. But there was little that could be done as the elements brought life to a standstill in many parts. All schools in Aberdeenshire, Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders were shut yesterday, and students across the north of England, Wales and Cornwall were also sent home for the day.

The freezing weather also created a child care crisis. Amanda Coxen of the nanny agency Tinies said the company had experienced a 50 per cent increase in enquires for nannies, while emergencychildcare.co.uk reported a fivefold increase in bookings.

Last night, fears were also mounting for the safety of Ian Simpkin, 36, from Wath near Ripon in North Yorkshire, who left home on foot on Sunday morning and has not been seen since. In Derbyshire, two 13-year-old boys had to be rescued by fire-fighters from an island in the middle of a frozen lake.

A lorry driver was also killed in a collision on the M60 in Manchester in treacherous driving conditions, while a 44-year-old man was treated for shock after his car skidded on snow into the path of a train on a level crossing near Selby, North Yorkshire. He was able to scramble out and avoid the oncoming train just before it hit his vehicle.

There were also concerns over a shortage of grit, despite assurances from councils that stocks would be sufficient. Staff at Cheshire's Winsford salt mine said they would work around the clock to help keep the roads open. But not everyone was pulling together n residents at Market Weighton in East Yorkshire said thieves were emptying their grit bins as soon as they were filled. An independent councillor in Wigan hired his own grit supplies after hearing complaints from locals over slippery pavements.

But the bad weather provided a boost to shops and supermarkets. Tesco said soup sales were up 80 per cent, while B&Q said demand for wellies (gumboots) had doubled. Halfords reported a 22 per cent rise in sleeping bag sales, bought by motorists fearful of being stranded in their cars.

There was more bad news for the husband of a woman, Kay Ure, who became cut off from her remote home in a lighthouse keeper's cottage at Cape Wrath in the Scottish Highlands after she ventured out to buy a turkey two days before Christmas. John Ure's generator has broken down, leaving him to rely on logs for heat and candles for light until the weather eases.

The shooting of waterfowl was suspended for seven days in Northern Ireland, and hunters were also told to put away their guns in Scotland to allow birds to see out the harsh conditions.

Worst hit overnight will be Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire and Oxfordshire, parts of which have not seen any snow since the arctic weather began before Christmas.

Heavy snow fell across the north of England and Scotland yesterday, closing airports and shutting schools, while many motorways ground to a halt and smaller routes remained impassable.

Bus services in Sheffield and other parts of South Yorkshire were suspended, leaving thousands without any means of transport.

Temperatures plunged to a low of minus 14C in Scotland, and 29cm of snow fell in Spadeadam, Cumbria.

- THE INDEPENDENT/ NZ HERALD STAFF