First snow marks start of winter

Snow fell in parts of London and the South-East today as temperatures hit zero, signalling an end to one of the mildest autumn periods on record.

It followed heavy rain yesterday, which caused isolated floods in many parts of the capital. A Met Office spokesman said: "It's bye-bye to the warm stuff and time to go out and buy the thermals.

"It felt icy cold this morning and it will take some time for things to warm up over the next 48 hours. There were reports of one centimetre of snow falling in parts of London during the early hours.î

He added: "Some snow is likely to continue and although it may stick in places it will generally be on the sleety side. Temperatures this morning ranged from zero to three Celsius and they are unlikely to reach double figures until the weekend.î

Arctic weather coming in from the North Sea is to blame for the conditions which have led motoring organisations to urge caution. An AA Roadwatch spokesman said today: "There are some icy patches around and we would advise drivers to reduce their speeds."