The Met Office is urging everyone staying at home as snow and ice blankets the UK to do one thing every hour to protect against the cold.

       Yellow weather warnings for snow and ice are in force across much of the country and the wintry conditions are forecast to last into this weekend, with temperatures below freezing in several locations.

       Showers of rain and sleet will continue to affect parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, North, East and South West England and Wales on Thursday, with up to 10cm of snow expected to fall over high ground in southwestern parts.

       The national forecaster said a northerly airflow will bring low temperatures for today and Friday, while fronts moving in from the southwest bring the potential for more sleet and snow heading into Saturday.

       Temperatures will plummet into negative double figures in the coldest areas over the next few nights, dropping as low as -16C.

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       Deputy chief forecaster Christoph Almond, said: “Thursday will see another cold night, with potentially the lowest temperatures of the Winter so far, -15°C - possibly -16°C is likely in locations with lying snow in Scotland or northern England.

       “In the early hours of Friday, a front arriving from the west will encounter the cold air in place over the UK. This could bring further sleet or snowfall for some regions in the south and west, as well as a risk of ice for a time as it moves north-eastwards into central parts, but the extent of this is still uncertain.”

       The Met Office is now urging people to stay safe in the snow and ice and to take precautions to protect against the bout of cold weather.

       A key piece of advice is to stay active - even if you are stuck inside because of the adverse weather - as this will help your body to keep warm, and thereby help to stave off winter illnesses like colds, flu and more serious health problems.

       If you’re unable to get out and about due to the weather it is recommended that you keep moving while indoors and make sure you get up and move around every hour.

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       The forecaster said: “With many of us having to spend more time at home it can make it harder to keep active. It’s important to continue to do what you can to stay active as this can help with both your physical and mental health.

       “Try to keep moving when you are indoors, try not to sit still for more than an hour or so. Break up your time spent being inactive by walking around your home or standing up from your chair when you are on the phone."

       They added: “It doesn’t matter what you do to keep active, as long as it’s something you enjoy and keeps you moving. There is strong evidence that people who are active have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, depression and can also reduce the risk of falling.”