Britons wrapped up yesterday as biting Arctic winds swept across the country leaving several rural areas covered in a dusting of snow.

Temperatures dipped close to freezing as forecasters predicted hail, blizzards and up to 20 centimetres of snow.

Meanwhile, the Met Office issued several severe weather warnings as motorists battled treacherous conditions on the North Yorkshire Moors.

Most of the country is facing a sub-zero chill and temperatures are expected to drop to minus 5˚C in some regions in the next few days.

Heaviest snow is expected in the Scottish Highlands – with up to 20 centimetres in Grampian – and in Yorkshire, north-east England and East Anglia.

A moderate covering is also forecast across the rest of the country by the end of the week though it will remain heaviest in Scotland, Orkney and the Shetland Isles.

Met Office forecaster Sarah Holland said the bitterly cold weather is set to continue into the weekend when swathes of the country are expected to wake up to wintry scenes.

“The worst of the weather is going to be overnight in the North East and parts of Yorkshire are going to see significant amounts of snow falling,” she said.

“We are entering a cold snap and through the weekend it is going to be getting even colder and many places are likely to see snow.”

Temperatures are not expected to rise much above 2˚C by day, remaining lower in the more exposed, rural areas.

At night they are likely to plummet to below freezing, reaching minus 10C on Monday in the Highlands.