Now the big freeze sets in

After the floods, which have left hundreds of householders with a huge mopping-up problem, the South-East today shivered in the grip of a big freeze.

And both the weathermen and the Environment Agency warn there is worse to come.

London and the Home Counties face at least a week of snow, sleet, icy winds and plunging temperatures.

When relief from the cold snap finally comes, melting snow could cause rivers to swell again, spreading more misery to at-risk families, particularly in the Thames Valley.

Jocelyn Boater could be forced to abandon the £500,000 Chertsey home she has lived in for 45 years as the Thames breaks its banks and creeps dangerously close to her front door. A local historian, Mrs Boater, 73, remembers the floods which devastated Chertsey in 1947. "But," she said, "this is by far the worst flood I have ever seen."

In and around London, temperatures were set to reach only about 2C during the day, falling to - 6C tonight. Meteorological Weather Centre forecaster Nick Ricketts said: "Conditions are going to be very grim indeed. We're expecting it to be bitterly cold throughout this week and, with more easterly winds on their way, it will get even colder."

Already cold weather has made driving conditions "treacherous", causing a number of roads in Kent to be closed. Police reported more than a dozen crashes and said heavy snow had made some roads "no-go" areas. They encouraged people to make journeys only if "necessary." Officers in Surrey warned they may have to shut more roads if drivers fail to slow down.

Inspector Mark Baldwin, of Kent Police, said: "The main roads really are a no-no. People are just not used to driving in the snow, some of it has melted and it's harder to see." Melting snow on the M25 has also caused vehicles to skid as most of it turns to ice.

Two to three inches of snow fell in Kent over the weekend, and forecasters say more is expected across Kent and will also hit Sussex and Hampshire. Central London, which has already had sleet, will also see snow over the next few days. Mr Ricketts said: "People should brace themselves for these cold, raw winds that will really cut through you. The only redeeming thing about the next few days, especially for those hit by flooding, is that it will be dry and there will be lots of bright sunshine."

Some of the latest houses to be flooded include George Michael's mansion in Oxfordshire and celebrity chef Antony Worrall-Thompson's home in Shiplake, Oxon.