Temperatures plummet to -11C as big freeze continues to sweep Britain

According to the Met Office, the lowest temperatures were recorded at Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands, with the mercury seen to dip below minus 7C across much of Scotland.

It comes as yellow weather warnings remain in place across parts of the UK until 11am on Friday, with the Scottish Highlands and parts of central and eastern England also impacted.

Temperatures were slightly milder in England and Wales, with lows of minus 6C at Trawsgoed in Ceredigion, Wales and minus 4C at Rostherne, Cheshire.

Forecaster Simon Partridge said the chill stemmed primarily from “a little ridge of high pressure moving across the UK overnight”.

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He added: “The main difference between that and previous nights is the winds are a lot lighter”.

The Met Office warned that icy patches can be expected across the UK's untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, following snowfall across the previous 24 hours.

Mr Partridge said that much of the country will see frost in the morning but that later in the day there is expected to be widespread sunshine.

He said: “Friday is really the end of the really cold weather as things turn back to average by the time we get into the weekend.”

It comes after hundreds of schools were forced to close, roads were disrupted and homes were left without power because of snow.

About 100 schools closed in northern Scotland on Thursday, while in Wales, 36 were closed in Pembrokeshire, 14 in Carmarthenshire and seven in Ceredigion.

The Met Office warned that wintry showers are also expected, falling as a mix of rain, sleet, wet snow and small hail.

The showers will 'lead to wet surfaces in many places on Thursday evening and night".

"As temperatures fall below freezing icy patches will develop and last through Thursday night and into Friday morning."

In North Yorkshire, 33 schools were closed while eight were listed as fully closed in East Yorkshire.

The Met Office has a spate of yellow ice warnings in place across the UK on Friday morning, including north, east, south-east and south-west England, northern and south-eastern areas of Scotland and north and west Wales.