The UK is braced for the coldest December for "a number of years" with more snow on the way, according to the Met Office.

The winter chill is predicted to continue until after Christmas with colder-than-average weather forecast throughout December.

Temperatures of -3C were recordered inparts of Scotland on Monday morning making it colder than Helsinki, Finland. 

A yellow weather warning is in place across eastern and southeastern parts of England with fog and freezing fog patches aet to thicken and turn more widespread this evening.

Bookmaker Coral has this December listed as odds on to be the coldest December since records began at 4/6 with the Met Office predicting the cold weather will last well into the New Year.

Met Office forecaster Marco Petagna said: Winter hazards are dominating the weather as the emphasis changes from snow to frost and ice.”

Leon Brown, head of meteorological operations at The Weather Company’s Weather Channel arm, told the Mirror: “Arctic incursions mean December could well be the coldest for a number of years.”

A Met Office forecaster said: “December 10-19 has temperatures likely to begin below average, trend to average then could turn colder again.

“December 20 to January 3 has temperatures likely at or below-average, though some milder interludes are possible.

"Hill snow is possible, and showers could perhaps be wintry at lower levels.”

The UK’s average temperature in December is 3.8C.