THE Met Office has issues a level three cold weather alert for parts of England.

A level three (amber) weather alert requires social and healthcare services to target specific actions at high risk groups.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: ’There is a 99% probability of severe cold weather, icy conditions and heavy snow between 9am on Thursday, January 14 and 10pm on Tuesday, January 19 in parts of England. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services. Please refer to the national Cold Weather Plan and your Trust’s emergency plan for appropriate preventive action.

’Turning much colder for all parts of England over the next few days. Spells of sleet and snow that start the period will become increasingly confined to the North Sea coast and hills, giving way to cold, crisp days and sharp overnight frosts. Frosts may also be severe at times, particularly where there is lying snow. As winds fall light there is an increasing risk of freezing fog patches forming overnight. Locally where freezing fog lingers temperatures may stay sub-zero all day. Cold weather currently looks set to last into early next week. At this stage, it appears that the weather may then turn less cold during the middle of next week.’