Easter snowfalls bring Britain to unseasonable standstill

Unseasonal snow hit much of the country yesterday, with the wintry conditions threatening the first "white" Easter in a decade.

Snow fell in parts of Scotland and northern England and reached as far south as London, as the Easter weekend fell at the earliest time of year for nearly a century.

Temperatures dipped below zero last night after a day in which they fell to just 1C, far below the seasonal average of 7C.

The cold conditions are set to continue with more snow due today, which would be the first Easter Sunday to see snowfall since 1998.

"There is no sign of spring out there," said Met Office forecaster Chris Almond.

Bookmakers William Hill said they were preparing to pay out £10,000-plus to punters who bet on a snowy Easter in London after offering odds of 8/1.