Snow And Ice: Thousands Still Without Power

At least 20,000 people are still without power after heavy snow, with the RAF called out to help in some of the worst affected areas.

Engineers are working to restore supplies to around 12,500 homes in Northern Ireland and 10,000 in Scotland, as well as 500 properties on the Isle of Man.

A search and rescue team from RAF Valley in Anglesey, Wales, was drafted in to help police in Northern Ireland.

RAF Valley's mountain rescue team prepare to fly to Northern Ireland

They also landed on the Isle of Arran to fly an elderly woman suffering from hypothermia to hospital.

Squadron Leader Dave Webster, of RAF Search and Rescue, said its fleet of helicopters remained on stand-by but added: "There have been remarkably few call outs considering the disruption that's been caused."

The freezing weather is thought to have led to the death of a 27-year-old man who was trying to get home after a night out with friends in Lancashire.

A 57-year-old hill walker died in the Scottish Highlands, although police said it was not clear whether his death was linked to the poor weather.

On Friday, police in Looe, Cornwall, found a body in a block of flats that had been flattened by a landslide thought to have been triggered by torrential rain.

Northern Ireland Electricity said conditions were improving but warned some customers may be without power for several days.

Work to restore power supplies in Northern Ireland

Spokesman Julia Carson said: "Some roads are still impassable - access has been restricted because of drifting snow and abandoned vehicles."

In Cumbria, police said around 40 people who left their cars on the roadside were given shelter in hotels in Millom, Waberthwaite and Bootle, while in Staffordshire, snow ploughs have been battling through drifts of up to 12ft on some exposed routes.

Meanwhile, the Met Office warned of a risk of ice, despite lifting its yellow "be aware" weather alert.

"Lying snow in many areas will melt on roads and pavements by day, refreezing by night to give icy patches," a spokesman said.

"Snow blowing off fields in strong to gale force winds will also affect some roads, especially over high ground."

Snow and ice are causing treacherous driving conditions in many places

The weather has wreaked havoc across the transport network over the last two days, with delays on roads, railways and at airports including Leeds Bradford and Doncaster's Robin Hood.

Sky News weather forecaster Isobel Lang said the snow would become "less of a concern after today" but added: "The risk of more unsettled conditions with rain and further snow increases towards the Easter weekend."

Bookmaker Ladbrokes has cut the odds of snow at Easter to 4/5 after taking a flurry of bets in the past 48 hours. If it does snow, it would be the first white Easter in five years.

Forecasters have predicted it could be the coldest March in 50 years. In 1962, average temperatures for the month were 2.8C (37F).

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