Forecasters say UK car insurance customers are facing one of the coldest winters in 100 years, with treacherous conditions set to cause "widespread, persistent and severe" transport problems this week. The AA has experienced its busiest ever period, on schedule to attend more than 25,000 breakdowns on Monday alone.

"Heavy snow showers or more widespread snow will continue to move across northern and eastern areas of Britain, bringing further accumulations of several centimetres in places and causing notable disruptions," confirms Stephen Davenport from MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association. "By Friday or even sooner there will be several centimetres of snow lying over wide areas, to depths of five to 10, or even 15, centimetres."

According to the AA, worsening weather conditions combined with the return to school and work in many areas has led to roads being even busier than usual. While the Highways Agency maintains grit stocks in England are holding up, Scotland's Fife council had to have several hundred tonnes delivered this week after supplies ran low.

With buses replacing trains in many areas, flights cancelled and some airports even closed, sub-zero temperatures have also seen the fountains in London's Trafalgar Square iced over.

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