Ice warning in place as temperatures plunge

Commuters will face icy conditions on Monday morning as sub-zero temperatures grip parts of the UK.

The Met Office has issued warnings for snow and ice across large swathes of the country, leading to a frosty start to the half-term holidays.

Forecasters are expecting a "bitterly cold" night as temperatures plunge below freezing.

Issuing a yellow warning for ice, which is in place until 10am on Monday, and covers areas including London, Wales and the East of England, the Met Office said: "Icy patches are expected to form on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths on Sunday night and Monday morning. This is likely to lead to some injuries from slips and falls."

Forecaster Rachael Adshead said winds will ease across the south of England and Wales overnight, while at the same time showers will die out across central and eastern parts.

"So what we're left with is a good amount of clear skies and relatively light winds, particularly across southern parts of the UK and that will lead to a cold night.

"We could see temperatures fall down as low as about minus 1C (30.2F) to minus 3C (26.6F) quite widely across the UK tonight," she said.

Parts of Scotland could see temperatures as low as minus 6C (21.2F), the forecaster added.

Ms Adshead said Monday may feel slightly less cold than Sunday, with wintry showers expected in the north and west.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and north-west England will see snow showers, while further south is more likely to see a mixture of rain, sleet and hail.

There could be a some respite, however, with milder temperatures set to return mid-week.