Freezing weather will grip Britain for weeks to come, forecasters warned - with rain, sleet and snow expected across the country.

Some of the worst widespread early snow for 17 years has seen much of the country disrupted and police in affected areas are urging people to stay indoors.

Severe weather warnings have been in place, with Scotland and North East England experiencing the worst of the weather, and snowfalls of up to 40cm in some areas.

There was also snow on Saturday across parts of Wales, the West Midlands and Cornwall and temperatures across the country struggled to rise above zero even in the major cities.

Northumbria Police urged motorists to stay off the roads and advised people to dress in warm clothing.

A spokesman said: "Anyone going outside should consider whether their journey is critical and if they must venture out should dress appropriately."

Tom Tobler of MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "The temperature throughout the day has struggled to get above zero in many areas. It will be a similar situation tomorrow (Sunday), staying very cold, with Scotland seeing the majority of the snow showers. But there may be snow in some western areas as well.

"Overnight it will be very cold, well below zero everywhere, going down to minus 7C quite widely. The cold weather will stay during the week with a brisk easterly wind developing which will make it feel even colder and which might bring more snow showers."

He said there could be a mix of rain, sleet and snow later in the week, adding: "People should be bracing themselves for more cold weather for the working week and beyond."

By mid-afternoon on Saturday, the AA had dealt with 10,400 breakdowns - 80 per cent up on a normal November Saturday.

"We're having to prioritise people stuck on the roadside," a spokesman said. "We're advising people who have no choice but to travel to exercise extreme caution. Even in areas without snow there is an ever-present risk of ice."