More cold health alerts to take effect after temperatures drop to -6C

Frosty conditions are expected to persist into next week, as more cold health alerts have been issued for parts of the UK on Sunday night until Thursday morning.

The alerts were issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for the North West, West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber, and will be in place from 9pm on Sunday until 9am on Thursday.

These alerts mean the cold weather will likely have minor impacts on health and social care services, including an increased use of healthcare services and a greater risk to life for vulnerable people, the agency said.

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Paul Coleman, consultant in Public Health at the UKHSA, said: "This is the latest cold health alert of the season, and we can expect more as we move further into winter.

"Cold weather can have a serious impact on the health of some people, including those aged 65 and over and those with pre-existing health conditions, so it is vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours who are most vulnerable."

Mr Coleman advised people to heat the rooms they use the most where possible, and to wrap up during colder periods.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for ice across much of Scotland and parts of northern England, from 6pm on Sunday to 10am on Monday.

The affected areas include the Scottish Highlands, Aberdeen, Perth and Edinburgh, as well as Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria.

During the day on Sunday, showers are forecast to sweep through Wales and southern England, with some possibly thundery showers in the far southwest, the Met Office said.

Further north in northern England and southern Scotland, rain will be more persistent, with strong winds along northeast coasts arriving later in the day.

Northern Scotland and Northern Ireland should experience a brighter and colder day, with wintry showers in some parts, which may bring snow to the hills.

It comes as temperatures dropped below -6C overnight on Friday, making it the coldest night of the season so far, according to the Met Office.

Much of the UK was covered in thick fog at the start of the week, with visibility in some areas reduced to less than 100 metres.

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Ethan Douglas, operational meteorologist at the Met Office, said snow will likely be confined to Scotland, but the ice risk may be present more widely across the north of the UK, causing extended journey times and "potentially hazardous travelling conditions".

Cold conditions will continue on Monday with long sunny intervals for most, though clouds will dim the sunshine later in the day.

Those in the north east of Scotland should brace themselves for further wintry showers.

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