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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| White Christmas payout expected | White Christmas payout expected |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Bookmakers are expecting a white Christmas in northern and eastern Scotland and north-east England as snow is forecast to fall on Christmas Day. | Bookmakers are expecting a white Christmas in northern and eastern Scotland and north-east England as snow is forecast to fall on Christmas Day. |
| William Hill said Aberdeen was the odds on favourite at 4/6 to see snow, with Edinburgh and Glasgow offered at 10/11. | William Hill said Aberdeen was the odds on favourite at 4/6 to see snow, with Edinburgh and Glasgow offered at 10/11. |
| Much of the rest of the UK will escape snow, but will be hit by ice and fog. | Much of the rest of the UK will escape snow, but will be hit by ice and fog. |
| There are severe weather warnings for widespread icy roads in north-east Scotland, north-east England, the Midlands, Wales and south-west England | |
| William Hill said they have had a record 27,000 bets on a white Christmas with nearly 15,000 bets on London alone, which was set at odds of 2/1. | William Hill said they have had a record 27,000 bets on a white Christmas with nearly 15,000 bets on London alone, which was set at odds of 2/1. |
| However, London is one of the areas now thought least likely see snow falling on Christmas Day. | However, London is one of the areas now thought least likely see snow falling on Christmas Day. |
| 'Watching like a hawk' | 'Watching like a hawk' |
| The bookmaker said the definition of a "white Christmas" was for snow to fall "over the 24 hours of Christmas day [but] snow already on the ground does not count as a white Christmas". | The bookmaker said the definition of a "white Christmas" was for snow to fall "over the 24 hours of Christmas day [but] snow already on the ground does not count as a white Christmas". |
| We will be the only people except possibly the AA who will be hoping that snow doesn't fall on Christmas Day Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams Scotland's bad weather continues | We will be the only people except possibly the AA who will be hoping that snow doesn't fall on Christmas Day Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams Scotland's bad weather continues |
| A William Hill spokesman said: "We have potentially dodged a monster payout but we are still going to be watching Buckingham Palace like a hawk, as just a flake or two will decide whether we are going to have a festive season or not. | A William Hill spokesman said: "We have potentially dodged a monster payout but we are still going to be watching Buckingham Palace like a hawk, as just a flake or two will decide whether we are going to have a festive season or not. |
| "We still expect to take a hit with snow in Scotland and Northern Ireland but are hopeful that London will miss out." | "We still expect to take a hit with snow in Scotland and Northern Ireland but are hopeful that London will miss out." |
| Other Hills odds were 11/10 Glasgow and Edinburgh, 13/8 Newcastle, Leeds and York, 7/4 Liverpool, Manchester and Lincoln; 2/1 Oxford, Norwich, Nottinghamshire, 9/4 Birmingham, Cambridge, Bristol, Cardiff, Belfast, Exeter, Dublin. | Other Hills odds were 11/10 Glasgow and Edinburgh, 13/8 Newcastle, Leeds and York, 7/4 Liverpool, Manchester and Lincoln; 2/1 Oxford, Norwich, Nottinghamshire, 9/4 Birmingham, Cambridge, Bristol, Cardiff, Belfast, Exeter, Dublin. |
| Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams said: "We will be the only people except possibly the AA who will be hoping that snow doesn't fall on Christmas Day." | Ladbrokes spokesman David Williams said: "We will be the only people except possibly the AA who will be hoping that snow doesn't fall on Christmas Day." |
| The Christmas getaway passed off "generally smoothly" | The Christmas getaway passed off "generally smoothly" |
| After days of travel disruption the Christmas getaway passed off "generally smoothly" for motorists as weather improved across much of the UK. | After days of travel disruption the Christmas getaway passed off "generally smoothly" for motorists as weather improved across much of the UK. |
| BBC weather forecaster Nick Miller said the Met Office had issued warnings about ice in many areas. | BBC weather forecaster Nick Miller said the Met Office had issued warnings about ice in many areas. |
| "It's looking pretty tricky as we go through the night into Christmas morning," he said. | "It's looking pretty tricky as we go through the night into Christmas morning," he said. |
| Drivers were facing foggy conditions in areas including Wiltshire and across the Pennines. | Drivers were facing foggy conditions in areas including Wiltshire and across the Pennines. |
| Breakdown organisations had predicted up to 6m people could take to the roads on Christmas Eve and at one stage the AA was dealing with about 1,400 breakdowns per hour. | Breakdown organisations had predicted up to 6m people could take to the roads on Christmas Eve and at one stage the AA was dealing with about 1,400 breakdowns per hour. |
| The Highways Agency has lifted roadworks at 44 sites until 3 January and a spokeswoman said Christmas Eve had been quieter than Wednesday. | The Highways Agency has lifted roadworks at 44 sites until 3 January and a spokeswoman said Christmas Eve had been quieter than Wednesday. |
| Matches postponed | Matches postponed |
| The AA's head of road safety Andrew Howard said it was possible people were waiting until Christmas morning to travel. | The AA's head of road safety Andrew Howard said it was possible people were waiting until Christmas morning to travel. |
| He warned that even roads where ice had thawed could be dangerous. | He warned that even roads where ice had thawed could be dangerous. |
| "The trouble is that the salt gets washed away. If it refreezes then you don't have salt on the roads and there's very little you can do about it," he said. | "The trouble is that the salt gets washed away. If it refreezes then you don't have salt on the roads and there's very little you can do about it," he said. |
| "Even if a road has been salted, it doesn't mean it's safe." | "Even if a road has been salted, it doesn't mean it's safe." |
| The weather has wreaked havoc with the sporting calendar. | The weather has wreaked havoc with the sporting calendar. |
| The National Hunt Boxing Day meeting at Towcester has already been called off, with meetings at Sedgefield, Wetherby, Market Rasen and Huntingdon facing late inspections. | The National Hunt Boxing Day meeting at Towcester has already been called off, with meetings at Sedgefield, Wetherby, Market Rasen and Huntingdon facing late inspections. |
| Meanwhile, all but two of the Scottish Football League's Saturday fixtures have been postponed. | Meanwhile, all but two of the Scottish Football League's Saturday fixtures have been postponed. |
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| For more travel information please visit the BBC Travel website. | For more travel information please visit the BBC Travel website. |