Britain braced for Arctic blast

Britain is set for an Arctic blast today as snow showers sweep the country, forecasters said.

A band of wintry showers will start in Scotland and the north of England this morning and work their way towards the south throughout the day.

About an inch of snow is expected in the north of England today, with sleet and rain more likely in the south, according to MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association.

Temperatures in London will reach a maximum of 6C, with a maximum of 4C in the north of the country.

The weather will remain cold for the next few days. Wednesday will see maximum temperatures of 7C in the south of England and a maximum of 4C in the north.

A band of rain is expected to move in from the south west of England early on Tuesday morning, with the chance of snow showers over higher land. The rest of the country should remain dry.

More snow is forecast coming in from the west early on Thursday morning. The north of the country can expect most of the snow, but temperatures should rise as the day goes on and the snow could turn into sleet or rain.