UK weather latest: Temperatures plummet by 14C as 'mini Beast from the East' hits Britain

Amber warnings of possible risk to life issued for north-west England, Yorkshire, the Midlands, London and south-east England

Temperatures plummeted by 14 degrees in some parts of Britain as a "mini Beast from the East" swept in from Siberia.

Snow blanketed parts of the country and amber warnings of a possible risk to life were issued for north-west England, Yorkshire, the Midlands, London and south-east England.

They remain in place until at least 9am on Sunday. The alert has been downgraded to yellow "be aware" warnings across much of the UK on Sunday.

Most of the UK will experience a second dose of “unusually cold air” while it is expected to remain bitterly cold and windy everywhere.

The south-west is likely to see the heaviest snowfall, with forecasters warning rural upland communities could potentially be cut off.

Disruption to power supplies could also be possible, especially in the south-west, due to wet snow bringing down branches or other structures.

Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkhill said “very strong winds” could cause temperatures to feel as low as -7C or -8C for some people over the weekend.

He added that higher ground could see as much as 25cm of snow, while lower levels could see 5-10cm or even 10-15cm on Sunday.

”It's not common for these areas to see this type of snow – it won't be the same amount we saw a few weeks ago, but it is still likely to be enough to cause some problems,” he said.

Delays and cancellations to road, rail and air travel are expected to continue on Sunday.

The snow should clear across the South West through Sunday evening into Monday. Dry and clear spells will develop across southern England and western Scotland, according to MeteoGroup

A yellow weather warning for ice will remain in place for much of the UK until 10am on Monday morning.

Forecasters are warning of temperatures falling below freezing into the start of Monday after a very cold day on Sunday.

This is expected to cause any partly-melted snow to refreeze, causing ice on roads, pavements and cycle paths which will increase the risk of accidents and falls.

Forecasters predict it will be brighter, drier, and less cold through the week, with average temperatures for this time of year expected to return.

More than 100 flights to or from Heathrow were cancelled on Saturday ahead of the predicted bad weather.

Highways England issued a severe weather alert for snow and advised road users to check the forecast and road conditions before travelling.