UK weather forecast: Freezing conditions to sweep Britain as warnings issued over snow and ice

Britain is bracing for icy conditions, plummeting temperatures and snow after the Met Office issued weather warnings for Wednesday and Thursday.

A cold weather front is moving from the UK's northwest to its south and icy patches and wintry showers are expected across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A yellow warning for ice has been issued across the three countries and will remain in place from 10pm on Wednesday to 11am on Thursday.

The Met Office has said that snow showers may make travelling difficult in Scotland. A separate yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued for Scotland and will be in place until midday on Thursday.

"The winds are turning more northerly, so it will feel noticeably colder, with possible flurries of sleet or snow," said Sophie Yeomans, a meteorologist for the Met Office.

Snow may settle in Scotland and across high ground in Wales.

"It's wise to leave a little extra time for travelling on Thursday," Ms Yeomans said.

"It will feel much colder than what we're currently experiencing."

On Thursday, milder weather from the west of the UK will meet colder air from the east, leading to a risk of sleet or snow

Temperatures are likely to hover around 6C or 7C in the south. "Further north temperatures will struggle to get too 4C or 5C," Ms Yeomans said.

The cold snap will abate slightly over the weekend which will be "cold and sunny" she added, although overnight frost is expected to develop on Friday night.

"Weather fronts will bring outbreaks of rain at times, with sleet or snow on high ground," the Met Office said.