A host of adorable pictures of dogs enjoying the British winter emerged on Sunday, as the country shivered in the snow.
With much of the UK being blanketed in white throughout the day, pets were out in force having fun in freezing conditions.
Images show one labradoodle catching a snowball and a young border terrier delighted to be dashing through the snow. The nation’s favourite pets weren’t all having fun, though, with photographers capturing a husky sulking inside a snow-covered van, one puzzled pooch looking on at a snowman and another dog looking deeply uncomfortable as his owner attempts to keep him on board while sliding down a hill.
The fun-filled snaps come amid a host of warnings about treacherous conditions to come next week and as London Zoo’s inhabitants got a taste of winter.
But the weather came as a relief to some animals and their owners, who have been largely cooped up at home amid the coronavirus lockdown.
Photographers captured the wintry scenes as much of the country was hit by significant snowfall, including London, while the Midlands were expected to see a record six inches by the end of Sunday.
The hashtag ‘Narnia’ was trending on social media earlier as dogs revelled in the freezing conditions.
But Britons have been warned to expect widespread sub-zero temperatures and icy, treacherous conditions caused by Sunday’s snowfall, which is expected to remain on the ground well into next week.
The Met Office said the mercury could dip between -4C and -6C going into Monday, with parts of the Midlands told to brace for -10C.
An amber weather warning for snow is in place covering an area from Nottingham to Stoke-on-Trent, meaning travel disruption and power cuts are likely.
There is also a risk that some rural communities could be cut off.
Meteorologist Simon Partridge said: ‘The band of snow that came through overnight stalled over the Midlands and will then track its way back over south-east England.’
‘Our main focus is that it is going to be a really cold night, particularly across central and southern parts of the UK – so the whole of Northern Ireland, all of Wales, most of the southern half of England from the Midlands and southwards.’
Even in areas with lighter snowfall, a widespread frost is forecast, and conditions are expected to be hazardous including spots of ice on the roads.
In Wales, four vaccination centres were forced to close because conditions were so treacherous.
There are five yellow weather warnings in place for snow and ice covering the southern part of England, eastern Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Icy patches on untreated roads and pavements are likely, with journeys by road and rail likely to be affected.
But the Met Office said by next week temperatures are due to jump back up.
Mr Partridge said by Wednesday the south of England would likely see between 10C and 12C.
‘It’s a bit of a rollercoaster from cold and wintry conditions to wet and windy ones,’ he said.
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