Blast freezes Britain to coldest since 1995

BRAEMAR: Britain recorded its lowest temperature in 26 years on Thursday after a bitingly cold blast of Siberian weather swirled in from Russia, pushing temperatures down to minus 23degC in the Scottish Highlands.

The temperature in the village of Braemar fell to minus 23degC at 0813 GMT (9.16pm NZT), the lowest temperature recorded since 1995 and the lowest February temperature in Britain since 1955, when Winston Churchill was still prime minister.

‘‘We can now confirm that last night was the coldest February night across the UK since 23rd February 1955,’’ Britain’s national meteorological service said. ‘‘That includes the infamous winter of 196263.’’

Swathes of Britain have been bathed in snow for days after the extreme cold spell swept in from Scandinavia and Russia.

Roads were blocked, the fountains in Trafalgar Square froze and children tried to toboggan in London parks.

PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES Brrrutal . . . Icicles hang from the roof of a shop in Braemar, Scotland, yesterday. A low of 23degC was recorded in the Scottish Highlands by the Met Office on the coldest night since 1995.