Deep freeze threatens Britain

London - Temperatures in Britain were expected to plunge to as low as minus 10 degrees celsius this weekend as the Arctic freeze tightens its grip, Daily Mail reported Friday.

Around two inches of snow covered Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk in white, while in the Pennines, fences and phone masts resembled ice sculptures.

The Met Office said up to four inches of snow could fall over the weekend across much of England and Wales, with southern and central areas likely to see the worst of it.

Freezing weather has been sweeping towards Britain from eastern Europe where temperatures plummeted to -30c this week and up to 150 have died.

A level three "amber" cold weather alert - the second most serious - was issued, which warns of health risks to the elderly and vulnerable, and the likelihood of disruption to transport, the newspaper said.

Level four 4 would mean a "major cold weather incident", in which normally healthy people are at risk from the cold.

The military have been put on alert should conditions deteriorate to a level four.

Paul Gundersen, chief forecaster at the Met Office, said: "We are expecting an area of snow to develop across a good part of England and perhaps east Wales late Saturday and into Sunday, although the timing and extent is still rather uncertain."