Blizzard warnings in New York and Boston: Seven dead and thousands stranded as the 'Snow Bomb' hits US east coast

650,000 homes and businesses without electricity - airlines cancel more than 5,300 flights as New York City's three major airports and Boston's Logan Airport closed

Seven people have died and more than half a million are without power as a huge snowstorm brought hurricane-force wind gusts and blizzard conditions to America's east coast.

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The massive storm has dumped up to three feet of snow in New England and Connecticut, and hurricane-force winds have hit the eastern states and Canada.

An 80-year-old woman collapsed in southern Ontario while shovelling her driveway, and two men were killed in car crashes.

A pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle last night in Connecticut, and a 23-year-old New York man ploughing his driveway with a tractor went off the edge of the road and was killed, police in those states said.

Airlines cancelled more than 5,300 flights, including some to Britain, and New York City's three major airports are closed.

Heathrow Airport said 32 inbound flights and two outbound flights were cancelled, stranding thousands of Britons on the wrong side of the Atlantic.

Passengers are being advised to check if their flights are affected with their airlines.

Across the region, flights were expected to be back on close to normal schedules tomorrow.

At least six deaths were blamed on the storm, including three in Canada.

Throughout the country's north east, more than 650,000 homes and businesses have lost electricity.

The New York region's three major airports were up and running again by late morning after shutting down last night.