UK weather: Thundersnow storms in pictures

Weather warnings have been issued across large parts of the UK

Sheep in snow, in the Glens of Antrim, as an orange weather alert is announced in Northern Ireland

Schools, transport and mobile phone signals were disrupted today as 'thundersnow' storms wreaked havoc across swathes of the country.

Manchester Airport suspended all departures and arrivals and more than a dozen rail services between the city and Yorkshire were cancelled as the north west of England was hit hard by a burst of wintery weather.

More than 200 schools in Northern Ireland, Scotland and England were shut on Thursday.

The freezing conditions look set to continue as snow, sleet and hail are expected to hit most of the UK over the next few days.

The Met Office has issued yellow 'be aware' weather warnings for snow across most of England, Scotland and Wales.

Children play in the snow in the grounds of Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland

Heavy snow in the Loxley area of Sheffield

A snow covered Durham Cathedral

Heavy snow falls on the A690 into Durham

A cyclist makes his way through a blizzard in Durham

A walker makes his way through the snow in the grounds of Stormont, Belfast, Northern Ireland

A police car and JCB on the closed A68 near Consett, County Durham

Showers and overnight frosts also brought the risk of icy stretches forming on untreated surfaces, while strong winds accentuated the bitter cold feel.