Cold continues with snow 'for many areas' as London braces for sub-zero temperatures

A cold snap is expected to continue into next week with snow predicted for many areas as London braces for sub-zero temperatures.

The Met Office has said cold weather is likely throughout the week, with an increased chance of "wintry hazards" in the next few days.

The forecaster predicted that temperatures could feel as cold as -4C in London on Wednesday morning, as the mercury drops to 0C.

Temperatures could dip even further to an icy -1C in the capital next Monday, according to the Met Office website.

The bitter weather is caused by high pressure which is bringing colder than average weather for the time of year.

The Met Office has said cold and largely dry conditions will persist through much of this week, with areas in the south being particularly cold compared to average.

On Monday Mayor Sadiq Khan had to activate an emergency protocol aimed at taking rough sleepers off the streets as temperatures turned frosty.

An ice warning was issued for London until 3am on Tuesday as the capital saw its first snow of the year.

Londoners started reporting snow falling in places like Orpington, Croydon and Beckenham from around 10.30am on Monday, with further flurries across the city continuing throughout the afternoon and into the evening.

Temperatures felt as cold as -5C in some parts of London late on Monday afternoon.

The Met Office has warned cold conditions could further continue into next week.

Met Office Head of Situational Awareness Will Lang said: "There will be a resurgence in the really cold weather through the weekend and that spreads across the whole of the UK during the early part of next week.

"Initially, this means there will be more in the way of showers around the coasts, turning increasingly to snow for many areas, especially further north."

Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern has said there could be "snow showers" at the start of next week, especially near coasts in the north.

Speaking about the weather for the middle of next week, he said: "You have the ingredients for snow with cold air in place and additional moisture supplied from the Atlantic, which will bring rain, but on the boundary with the cold air, you could see some snow."

The Met Office has said it is too soon to know where it will snow next week and how intense the snow will be.