Princetown and other areas of Devon have seen pockets of snow over the past 24 hours.

Areas of higher ground, such as Exmoor and Dartmoor, have seen up to 5cm of snow fall during last night and this morning.

A severe ice warning has now been put in place from 5pm today until 11am tomorrow.

A spokesperson for the Exeter-based Met Office said: “Slow clearance of rain, sleet and snow will leave surfaces wet and prone to freezing overnight, increasing the risk of icy patches, especially on untreated surfaces.

“The public are advised to be aware of the need for extra care, especially when travelling.”

It comes as temperatures across the the UK are set to plummet to as low as -10C this week with cutting Arctic winds sending a shudder down the spine of the British Isles, according to forecasters.

A high pressure system hanging over Scandinavia and western Russia is set to push raw, easterly winds towards the UK as the week progresses, causing the longest spell of cold weather so far this winter, experts say.

Snow is also forecast in some regions over the coming days with some people in Wales and the far West of England waking up to a dusting of up to 5cm this morning.

Paul Mott, forecaster with MeteoGroup, said: "There has been a sprinkling of snow overnight over parts of Wales, Devon, Somerset and Hampshire.

"It has mainly been over hills - with accumulations of up to 5cm in some areas - but there have also been some falls on lower ground locally.

It said higher areas of South West, especially Exmoor, could see 5cm of snow but lower areas are more likely to see a 1-2 cm 'slushy covering'.

The Met Office also issued a warning of severe cold weather across much of England until at least Thursday.

Mr Mott said the mercury could plummet to as low as -10C in rural parts of central England on Thursday night, with average day time readings only reaching 3C-4C.

"The nights will be really cold throughout the week and there will be the occasional snow shower over the eastern counties of England, eastern Scotland and even London," he added.

Police in Devon and Cornwall yesterday warned motorists in some parts of the region not to travel unless it is essential after snowfall over the higher areas of Exmoor and Dartmoor.