Snow and ice hit parts of UK

Staff reporter(wp/bbc):::

Snow showers and icy conditions have swept across the UK, with weather warnings in place for large parts of the country.

The Met Office has issued four yellow warnings for snow and ice and has predicted up to 10cm (4in) of snowfall on higher ground.

No services will run on Merseyrail until around 11:00 GMT on Wednesday due to ice on the tracks.

And Liverpool Airport is also expecting delays due to snowfall.

Customers travelling to the airport have been advised to check with their airline before setting off and to "allow plenty of travel time".

A number of roads and schools were closed in Scotland, northern England and Wales on Tuesday.

Forecasters expect similar conditions until Friday.

Police have been urging motorists to take extra care and plan ahead.

The four weather warnings affect most of the UK, warning of road and rail delays.

• The first for Wales, northern and western England came into place on Tuesday and will last until 11:00 GMT on Wednesday. It warns that rain will turn to snow, especially on the hills.
• The second warns of further snow showers across north-west parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland from late Tuesday afternoon until 11:00 GMT on Wednesday.
• Another warning, for south-east England, the Midlands, and East Anglia, took effect from 17:00 GMT on Tuesday, continuing until midday on Wednesday.
• Finally, the Met Office has said it expects rain and snow to move in from the south-west, moving across England and Wales through Thursday into Friday.
• The Met Office said there was a "slight chance" that some rural communities could be cut off and a "small chance" that power cuts may occur and mobile phone coverage could be affected.