The Met Office has issued warnings that Britain could be facing the longest spell of cold weather so far this winter. Below average temperatures are set to last all week. One Met Office Spokesperson said that colder air is pushing in from Scandinavia and Siberia and that there is a risk the cold conditions could persist into February.

He said, "The colder air is set to win over the next few days, bringing a risk of snow to western areas on Monday morning. Looking further ahead into February, there is uncertainty over how this finely balanced situation will play out, with colder conditions more likely to dominate but milder weather could still return."

The Met Office and Department of Health have already issued a Cold Weather Alert for a large part of the UK. The two departments said that the weather in Yorkshire and Humber, North East and North West England, South East England and the East Midlands will be cold enough to pose a health risk for the young and elderly and that there is significant chance of similar conditions developing elsewhere.

The temperature in parts of central England could fall as low as -11oc at night and farmers in Cornwall have agreed to clear roads to prevent remote villages from being cut off should snow fall.

There are fears the coming cold weather could prove especially detrimental in areas where, due to a mild winter, the first signs of spring are already appearing; some fruit growers have suggested that plummeting temperatures could affect prematurely growing fruit plants and trees, which are responding to milder conditions so far this winter, resulting in early blossoms being killed off suddenly if the weather turns frosty.

Lambing has also started incredibly early in some parts of the country. One midlands farmer has given his lambs tarpaulin body warmers to ensure they survive the cold spell.

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