Nearly five inches of snow fell in northern areas of the UK fuelled by sub-zero winds streaming in from the Arctic.

A blanket of snow covered much of Cumbria and the Yorkshire Dales. And wintry falls reached as far south as Bournemouth in Dorset and Exeter and Dartmoor in Devon.

Forecasters said that temperatures were expected to plunge to -4C last night leaving today’s rush-hour commuters facing the threat of icy roads.

They warned of up to six inches of snow on higher ground.

But in the South there was sunshine despite the general fall in temperature. In London’s world-famous Kew Gardens visitors were welcomed by a golden carpet of daffodils.

And, after the sunniest February on record, bluebells popped up in Dorset, Surrey, and parts of Wales – eight weeks early. The Met Office is predicting milder temperatures to return by the end of the week.