Coldest March for half a century
A CYCLIST braved the snow near Reeth in the Yorkshire Dales as data showed this March is set to be the coldest in the UK since 1962.
Statistics from the Met Office showed from March 1 to 26 the UK mean temperature was 2.5C (36.5F), which is three degrees below the long-term average, making it the joint fourth coldest in the UK, in records going back to 1910. March 2013 also joined 2006, 2001, 1995, 1987, 1979, 1970 and 1962 as years when the month saw significant snowfall. The weather is set to remain unseasonally cold across Yorkshire over the Easter weekend with snow flurries in some areas and severe overnight frosts.
In the west of Scotland around 1,200 homes remained without power for a sixth day, following a problem with mobile generators after snow damaged large sections of the network.