Black ice warning issued after coldest temperatures of the year make for frightening road conditions up and down the country
Britain's coldest snap of the year has cost two drivers their lives.
A man died when his Land Rover Defender left an icy road and smashed into a tree early this morning.
Police say he was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash near Horam, East Sussex, at 7am on Monday.
Emergency services had to deal with sheet ice and temperatures of -2C as they struggled to get to the accident scene.
Parts of the UK were last night colder than Alaska with the mercury falling to -8.8C (16.3F) in Katesbridge, Co Down – a record low for 2014.
In the traditionally freezing US state of Alaska meanwhile, temperatures hovered around the -3C mark.
News of the fatal breakfast time accident in East Sussex followed the death of pensioner Graham Maloney, who was struck by a car on a rural road in Bradford after his car became stuck in snow.
Mr Maloney, 75, was with his wife Molly when he got out of a Peugeot 206 to try to free it on a bend in Clayton, west Yorkshire, on Boxing Day.
The ex-metalworks manager was then hit by a Vauxhall Astra which shunted his car into a stone wall. He was just two minutes away from his home.
A weather warning for ice is in place for the east Midlands as a combination of freezing temperatures and offshore rain showers risk slippery surfaces.
Rain showers yesterday meant much of the existing snow disappeared, with widespread frost and ice replacing it.
Several regions had their coldest temperatures of 2014 as the mercury fell overnight to minus 7.6C (18.3F) at Benson, Oxfordshire, and minus 6.7C (20F) in Pembrey Sands, Dyfed, Wales.
Met Office forecaster Charles Powell said the warmest area was the Isle of Wight, with a recorded temperature of 1C (33F).
Another chilly night is ahead, Mr Powell said, but the end of the year is shaping up to be a little milder - if wet and windy.
"Tonight will be cold, with the lowest temperatures expected in England and Wales," he said. "But we should have some milder weather later this week and some rain and wind just in time for New Year."
Temperature in Co Down last night
-9°C
The best place to be weather-wise at the clock strikes midnight is the south-east, he said, which is expected to stay relatively dry.
Freezing weather brought treacherous conditions to roads at the weekend, with many motorists in Sheffield forced to abandon their cars after becoming snowed in.
More than 100,000 homes were left with power shortages as heavy snow wreaked havoc on electricity cables.
And Sheffield was still suffering the effects of the snowfall nearly 48 hours later yesterday when the Blades' League One match with Scunthorpe United was postponed yesterday afternoon for health and safety reasons.
Some lower league matches were also hit by the weather.
On Sunday morning parts of the M62 near Liverpool were closed due to icy conditions while the Peak District was under a blanket of up to five inches of snow.
The RAC said drivers should be prepared for black ice today and advised motorists to carry a shovel, warm blanket and flask of coffee in the car on their morning commute.
Dr Angie Bone, from Public Health England, asked people to look out for vulnerable neighbours.
“We advise people to keep active in the home, have plenty of warm food and drinks, and maintain indoor temperatures to at least 18C, particularly the older or very young, people with pre-existing health conditions, or who are not very mobile,” she said.
“These groups can be particularly vulnerable to the ill-effects of cold. Take some time to think about how the bad weather may affect your friends, family and neighbours: it’s important we all do what we can to protect those around us.”
