Cold snap ends UK's mild autumn

Snow that blanketed parts of Scotland and the north east of England is to give way to cold, sunny weather.

But the crisp start to the weekend will turn mild and dank later, and on Sunday rainclouds will cover almost the entire UK.

The first cold snap of the season brought wintry showers to Scotland and its first meaningful dump of snow.

Snow fell across north-east England overnight, as far as north Lincolnshire.

But the rain, sleet and hail showers running down the east side of the UK will clear into the North Sea as winds come from the west.

Victoria Kettley, a forecaster for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "We can't rule out more wintry showers - these might fall as snow very locally on high ground like the North York Moors, but will generally be sleet, rain or hail.

"Temperatures will be between about 7C and 10C, and in central Scotland overnight tonight won't get above 4C or 5C.

"This afternoon rain will push into north-west Scotland, and the rest of UK will be dry and cold, with sunny spells. It will be cold across north-west Scotland and rain pushing in afternoon."

Milder air and rain overnight will bring rain to much of the UK on Sunday, Ms Kettley said. The South East will start fine and breezy, but cloud will cover most of the country, with the heaviest and most persistent rain in Scotland.

With winter on our doorsteps the Local Government Association said that hundreds of gritters were on standby to treat roads as required.