Advertisement

In Pictures: Christmas shoppers and sports fans brave icy conditions

It was a decidedly chilly weekend for those who ventured outdoors as Storm Deidre brought severe weather across the country, including the “rare” phenomenon of freezing rain.

The Met Office said it posed a “danger to life” and risk of injury as it creates very slippery surfaces with pavements and cycle paths likely to become instantly impassable because of the sudden formation of black ice.

Christmas shopping
An accordion player and her dog dressed for conditions on Oxford Street, central London (John Stillwell/PA)
Christmas shopping
A group of cyclists dressed as Santas helped cheer up shoppers on Oxford Street (John Stillwell/PA)
Christmas shopping
A Christmas tree-shaped woolly hat seemed an ideal choice for one festive shopper (John Stillwell/PA)
Wolverhampton Wanderers v AFC Bournemouth – Premier League – Molineux
Rain ponchos were a must at Molineux where Wolves faced Bournemouth (Aaron Chown/PA)
A hot water bottle is passed around on the Manchester City bench
A hot water bottle is passed around on the Manchester City bench during the Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester (Martin Rickett/PA)
Raheem Sterling
Raheem Sterling made sure to keep warm on the bench before the match (Martin Rickett/PA)
Watford v Cardiff City – Premier League – Vicarage Road
It was a look adopted by a Watford fan at Vicarage Road too (Yui Mok/PA)
Cardiff Blues v Saracens – Heineken Champions Cup – Cardiff Arms Park
A team hat and scarf helped this young Cardiff Blues fan before a match in the Welsh capital (Simon Galloway/PA)
International Meeting – Day Two – Cheltenham Racecourse
Groundstaff retrieve part of an advertising hoarding blown off in the high winds at Cheltenham Racecourse (David Davies/PA)
Winter weather Dec 15th 2018
Ground frost near the Tan Hill Inn in the Yorkshire Dales almost looked like snow (Danny Lawson/PA)
Winter weather Dec 15th 2018
The Eden Project in Cornwall was forced to close after being flooded with heavy rain (@alistairt_1970/Twitter/PA)
Winter weather Dec 15th 2018
Waves crash against the pier in Bournemouth, Dorset (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Winter weather Dec 15th 2018
Waves crash against Durdle Door in Dorset (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Winter weather Dec 15th 2018
Amber warnings alerting people to heavy snow and ice have been issued for the north of England and Midlands (Andrew Matthews/PA)
Winter weather Dec 15th 2018
People look out at the rough seas near to Durdle Door in Dorset (Andrew Matthews/PA)