Disruption to travel is expected as National Rail warns line closures may be in place today as some sporting fixtures are postponed.

Heavy snow and freezing rain are expected to hit parts of England and Wales this weekend, with the Met Office warning there could be considerable disruption in some areas. The new, more severe warnings cover northern England, the Midlands and much of Wales, and are in place from Saturday evening and throughout Sunday.

Three Met Office weather warnings were in place, with more for snow beginning over the weekend as huge parts of the country braces for the white stuff.

A Met Office yellow weather warning for ice has been issued for the north and west of Scotland as temperatures drop across the country. A yellow warning for snow also covers much of the north. The warnings are in place from Thursday afternoon until Friday morning.

A cold Arctic blast is bringing widespread frost across the country as temperatures plunged to as low as -8.1C overnight.

The Met Office has updated its yellow weather warning in Hampshire and is now warning of snow and ice this weekend. Initially, the Met Office was warning only of snow in parts of Hampshire but have now updated the yellow warning to say that ice is also likely to be present.