Skate Escape after snowy start to 2021
STRIKING a pose on a frozen pond, this young skater provided a touch of grace as arctic conditions gripped Britain yesterday.
And forecasters warned that the big chill will continue as millions return to work this week – while police condemned walkers who flocked to the Peak District then got stranded in a snowstorm.
A plunge in temperatures led to localised heavy snow in parts and severe frosts in others last week.
It also saw skaters take to the frozen pond at Queen’s Park, Glasgow.
But despite further snowfalls forecast across the Peak District on Saturday, Derbyshire Police said more than 200 vehicles descended on the
‘Busier than a summer holiday’
Snake Pass summit. The force said officers supported by mountain rescue volunteers had to rescue dozens of people who became trapped.
In a frosty post on Facebook, the Derbyshire Rural Crime Team said that despite the pandemic placing ‘restrictions on all our recreational activities’, the summit was ‘busier than a summer bank holiday’ on Saturday afternoon.
Temperatures across the Peak District were then hovering between freezing (32F) and minus 1C (30F). In similar scenes at the same time, Cheshire Police embarked on a threehour rescue of 22 stranded people at the White Peak beauty spot. Only one of the nine vehicles – which included one family who had driven from Manchester – were from the county. Donal Considine, a forecaster at DTN, formerly MeteoGroup, said: ‘Winds look to be turning northerly at the end of the week, opening up the possibility that we could see a band of snow across the country.’
The January average temperature in England is 6.9C (44F). While thermometers might reach a high of 6C (43F) tomorrow, the morning will see freezing fog in places. The mercury is set to drop again on Tuesday.