WRAP UP WARM! -20C ARCTIC SNOW AND ICE BLAST HITS UK

BRITAIN is bracing for the coldest night in four years-an icy -20C blast.

- Chris Riches

The brutal chill has sparked health fears for the vulnerable.

BBC weather forecaster Simon King warned: "Temperatures will drop quite rapidly below freezing.

Across most parts of the UK there will be a hard frost with minimum temperatures getting down between -3C and -10C widely.

"Where there is still snow cover, it could be as cold as -14C to -16C making Wednesday the coldest night of winter so far.

"Over the Pennines and snow fields of Scotland, we are expecting minimum temperatures of -16C to -20C. The last time the UK recorded a temperature that low was on February 11, 2021, when the temperature at Braemar fell to -23C."

People are being warned to take care and look in on those who may need assistance after snow, ice and floods already left the country reeling.

Simon added: "While flooding and further wintry showers continue to affect parts of the UK, the cold snap will continue until the end of this week.