Snow returns but repeat of big freeze discounted

Plummeting temperatures were expected to make roads and pavements dangerous with widespread ice in areas affected, meteorologists said, but today is expected to see a return to clear skies and no further blizzards.

A Met Office spokesman said: "There has been light snowfall across the north of England.

"Temperatures will drop to below freezing – to around minus 2C in Newcastle and about minus 1C in Leeds – but we will not see a return to anything like the kind of lows we experienced last month."

Late yesterday evening the Highways Agency said the snow had caused no road closures.