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| Snow and floods keep UK spring on hold | Snow and floods keep UK spring on hold |
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| A woman died after a landslide caused by rain engulfed her home in Cornwall as what was supposed to be the UK's third day of spring brought flood warnings, hundreds of schools closed by snow and frigid temperatures putting this March on course to be the coldest for half a century. | A woman died after a landslide caused by rain engulfed her home in Cornwall as what was supposed to be the UK's third day of spring brought flood warnings, hundreds of schools closed by snow and frigid temperatures putting this March on course to be the coldest for half a century. |
| Emergency crews were called to the Veronica flats in Looe, Cornwall, early on Friday after mud and debris caused by about 5cm (2in) of rain hit the converted house from the road behind. | Emergency crews were called to the Veronica flats in Looe, Cornwall, early on Friday after mud and debris caused by about 5cm (2in) of rain hit the converted house from the road behind. |
| After more than a dozen residents were evacuated, dog teams searched for a woman, reported to be Susan Norman, in her 60s, who had not been seen since the previous evening. Fire and rescue service said a body had been found in the building. | After more than a dozen residents were evacuated, dog teams searched for a woman, reported to be Susan Norman, in her 60s, who had not been seen since the previous evening. Fire and rescue service said a body had been found in the building. |
| A neighbour, Pete Temlett, said he was roused by a resident at about 5am and feared the building "could collapse at any moment". | A neighbour, Pete Temlett, said he was roused by a resident at about 5am and feared the building "could collapse at any moment". |
| "The windows were popping out and you could see the house was moving. My immediate thought was for the safety of the woman who lives in the bottom flat, but I couldn't go in there. I thought if I open a door it could collapse and cause her more injury." | "The windows were popping out and you could see the house was moving. My immediate thought was for the safety of the woman who lives in the bottom flat, but I couldn't go in there. I thought if I open a door it could collapse and cause her more injury." |
| Cornwall fire and rescue spokesman Dave King said a body was recovered from the property at about 6pm. He was unable to say if it was that of the missing woman. | Cornwall fire and rescue spokesman Dave King said a body was recovered from the property at about 6pm. He was unable to say if it was that of the missing woman. |
| A dozen flood warnings were in place in the south-west of England on Friday night, as well as 80 lower-level flood alerts. | A dozen flood warnings were in place in the south-west of England on Friday night, as well as 80 lower-level flood alerts. |
| Further north, the problems centred around snow and heavy winds, the combination of which left about 44,000 homes in Northern Ireland without electricity after power lines collapsed in Counties Antrim and Down. | Further north, the problems centred around snow and heavy winds, the combination of which left about 44,000 homes in Northern Ireland without electricity after power lines collapsed in Counties Antrim and Down. |
| The Police Service of Northern Ireland issued an unprecedented plea for motorists to stay at home. In Belfast, power had been restored to most areas after an earlier near total blackout. The snow caused Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifying game against Russia, scheduled for Friday evening at Windsor Park in Belfast, to be postponed until Saturday. | The Police Service of Northern Ireland issued an unprecedented plea for motorists to stay at home. In Belfast, power had been restored to most areas after an earlier near total blackout. The snow caused Northern Ireland's World Cup qualifying game against Russia, scheduled for Friday evening at Windsor Park in Belfast, to be postponed until Saturday. |
| Elsewhere, with more than 20cm of snow falling in some areas, students and parents faced the disruption of a sudden day off school, not a common event immediately before the Easter holidays. | Elsewhere, with more than 20cm of snow falling in some areas, students and parents faced the disruption of a sudden day off school, not a common event immediately before the Easter holidays. |
| About 200 schools were closed in north Wales, with 400 shut in the West Midlands and Staffordshire, and others affected in Derbyshire and Yorkshire. | About 200 schools were closed in north Wales, with 400 shut in the West Midlands and Staffordshire, and others affected in Derbyshire and Yorkshire. |
| In Scotland, 10,000 homes lost their power in Argyll, while snow also affected Dumfries and Galloway. | In Scotland, 10,000 homes lost their power in Argyll, while snow also affected Dumfries and Galloway. |
| The weather caused a partial shutdown of the Sellafield nuclear power plant in Cumbria after many staff were sent home early. Scores of roads were closed, with driving organisations urging caution – the AA said even brief journeys could be treacherous and warned drivers could end up stuck in their cars. The weather disrupted some rail lines, notably in Wales, and closed Leeds Bradford airport for a time. | The weather caused a partial shutdown of the Sellafield nuclear power plant in Cumbria after many staff were sent home early. Scores of roads were closed, with driving organisations urging caution – the AA said even brief journeys could be treacherous and warned drivers could end up stuck in their cars. The weather disrupted some rail lines, notably in Wales, and closed Leeds Bradford airport for a time. |
| Further south, high water levels in the river Thames forced the cancellation of the World Pooh Sticks championships in Oxfordshire, an RNLI fundraiser. | Further south, high water levels in the river Thames forced the cancellation of the World Pooh Sticks championships in Oxfordshire, an RNLI fundraiser. |
| With temperatures in many areas barely above freezing, and strong winds making it feel considerably colder, there was no respite in prospect. | With temperatures in many areas barely above freezing, and strong winds making it feel considerably colder, there was no respite in prospect. |
| Snow is expected to ease, but temperatures are not predicted to improve noticeably even by the middle of next week. | Snow is expected to ease, but temperatures are not predicted to improve noticeably even by the middle of next week. |
| Forecasters say March could be the coldest for more than 50 years. John Lee of MeteoGroup said the average in central England so far this month had been 3.8C, against the expected 6C. "It's provisionally going to be the coldest March in 50 years, although that can't be confirmed until the end of the month." The average of 2.8C in 1962 would "take some beating", he said. | Forecasters say March could be the coldest for more than 50 years. John Lee of MeteoGroup said the average in central England so far this month had been 3.8C, against the expected 6C. "It's provisionally going to be the coldest March in 50 years, although that can't be confirmed until the end of the month." The average of 2.8C in 1962 would "take some beating", he said. |
| Downing Street dismissed reports that gas supplies would run out next month, meaning expensive imports. | Downing Street dismissed reports that gas supplies would run out next month, meaning expensive imports. |
| This time last year, much of the UK basked in unseasonal heat. A much-relayed item on Twitter showed the temperature map for Friday next to that for 22 March last year, with a maximum of 21C. | This time last year, much of the UK basked in unseasonal heat. A much-relayed item on Twitter showed the temperature map for Friday next to that for 22 March last year, with a maximum of 21C. |
| Kathy Maskell, from the University of Reading's Walker institute for climate system research, said: "The low temperatures we've experienced this March would have seemed quite normal to people over the first half of the 20th century, but we've seen a gradual rise in typically March temperatures, particularly over the last 30 years." | Kathy Maskell, from the University of Reading's Walker institute for climate system research, said: "The low temperatures we've experienced this March would have seemed quite normal to people over the first half of the 20th century, but we've seen a gradual rise in typically March temperatures, particularly over the last 30 years." |
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