Freezing weather in Europe causes more than 30 deaths

Most of Europe, including the Greek islands and southern Italy, has been covered in snow as extreme weather and icy temperatures left more than 30 people dead across the continent.

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Many towns in central Italy affected by the recent earthquakes were covered and hundreds of flights to Istanbul have been cancelled.

Temperatures in Croatia reached as low as -20C and the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, saw dozens of people trapped inside their vehicles.

According to the BBC, at least ten people died of cold in Poland and Czech officials reported three deaths in Prague, two of them homeless people.

Bulgaria said two Iraqi migrants were found dead in a forest in the southeast of the country.

The Guardian reports that eight deaths in Italy were blamed on the extreme weather.

Meanwhile, an Arctic blast is reportedly set to bring widespread frost, gales, and temperatures dipping below freezing to the UK this Friday 13th.

A change in the wind by the start of Friday is set to bring snow showers to the north of Scotland, Northern Ireland, the North York Moors, and possibly Norfolk. As the week progresses parts of the South East will also start to see wintry showers.

Temperatures will drop from Wednesday in the north of the country, and there'll be snow showers across the UK from Friday, says the Met Office.