Ice blamed as four die in road crashes

At least four people were killed in ice-related road accidents yesterday as Christmas holiday travellers braved bitter weather.

Massive queues built up around Britain's shopping centres, although motoring organisations said major routes were flowing fairly freely.

Temperatures plunged as low as -11.7C (12F) in Scotland overnight and forecasters warned the chill would continue. They held out the possibility of some snow on Christmas Day, although it may not amount to more than a few flakes in the east.

On the roads three people died when a van and car crashed on the A166 at Gate Helmsley, between York and Stamford Bridge, North Yorkshire.

A man was killed at Turvey, Bedfordshire when his car left an icy road and collided with a tree.

Temperatures were expected to plunge again last night. The London Weather Centre reported the reading of -11.7C on Saturday night from Aviemore, Scotland, and said temperatures in that area had not risen above freezing all day yesterday. The chill, brought by air from Eastern Europe, is expected to last until after Christmas.

Ladbrokes cut the odds on a white Christmas from 4/1 to 3/1.

Meanwhile heavy traffic built up around both out-of-town and urban shopping centres. The RAC reported an eight-mile queue on the A1M outside the Metro Centre, Gateshead and said there was heavy traffic through the Dartford Tunnel with shoppers heading to the Lakeside centre at Thurrock, Essex. Traffic also remained busy around airports.