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UK snow: Britons struggle after storms strike UK snow: Britons struggle after storms strike
(about 3 hours later)
Britons have told of their struggles to cope in the unseasonably cold weather and snow storms that have hit many parts of the UK since Friday.Britons have told of their struggles to cope in the unseasonably cold weather and snow storms that have hit many parts of the UK since Friday.
Thousands of homes remain without power in Scotland and Northern Ireland after snow and strong winds damaged cables. Around 5,450 homes remain without power in Scotland and Northern Ireland after snow and strong winds damaged cables.
The Met Office has issued a weather alert that lasts until Friday.The Met Office has issued a weather alert that lasts until Friday.
There are fears of "catastrophic losses" for farmers, with thousands of sheep and cattle thought to be buried in the snow.
One family trapped in a hillside farm near Wrexham with their 16-month-old baby said they were forced to burn old furniture to keep warm.One family trapped in a hillside farm near Wrexham with their 16-month-old baby said they were forced to burn old furniture to keep warm.
Ben Massam, stranded without power at a farm at Bryneglwys, said they "had just got on with it" at first but had been cut off for three or four days.Ben Massam, stranded without power at a farm at Bryneglwys, said they "had just got on with it" at first but had been cut off for three or four days.
"We had no power, no electric," he said. "It got to the point where I just thought... we needed to try to get him [the baby] out to reasonable safety.""We had no power, no electric," he said. "It got to the point where I just thought... we needed to try to get him [the baby] out to reasonable safety."
The family were airlifted to hospital on Sunday by a helicopter from RAF Valley on Anglesey.The family were airlifted to hospital on Sunday by a helicopter from RAF Valley on Anglesey.
On Arran, the BBC's Colin Blane, at Blackwaterfoot, said about 1,500 homes on the island remained without power after storms brought down power cables and snowdrifts blocked the roads. Thousands of Scottish homes are still without power, three days after losing supplies when two electricity pylons collapsed under the weight of ice and snow.
Although road routes on the south of the island had opened up, he said: "It's very difficult to get over to the west side. We came through a road that really was like a canyon, the snow, 8-10 feet high and room only for only one vehicle. Around 3,500 homes on Kintyre and 1,500 on Arran are waiting to be reconnected.
"They're used to this for a day or so, they're accustomed to having the ferry service interrupted by storms, it's not a precious community, it's people who are used to a little degree of hardship," he said. A further 250 homes remain without electricity in Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway.
"But after four days without power, some of the laughs are beginning to turn to frowns. People are beginning to feel they would like to have a warm house again and not have to hike down to a community centre to get a wee heat." All schools on Arran are closed, as are all Argyll and Bute primaries south of Tarbert and more than a dozen schools in Dumfries and Galloway
Geology students from Calder High School in West Yorkshire were stuck at centre on Loch Ranza on Arran. They were supposed to leave on Friday but were snowed in. Although road routes on the south of Arran had opened up, the BBC's Colin Blane, at Blackwaterfoot, said: "It's very difficult to get over to the west side. We came through a road that really was like a canyon, the snow 8-10 feet high and room only for only one vehicle.
Teacher Paul Williams told the BBC it had been very cold and he was looking forward to his feet thawing out. "They're used to this for a day or so, they're accustomed to having the ferry service interrupted by storms... but after four days without power, some of the laughs are beginning to turn to frowns."
"There were four school groups there. The centre staff have been great, keeping us fed with hot food - soup and porridge. Everyone mucked in together and the lads were helping clear the paths and helping the coastguard unload supplies." In Northern Ireland, about 140,000 homes lost electricity at some point over the weekend.
Will Emberton, 16, added: "We were stuck inside most days. We played eight games of Risk." About 200 households remained cut off on Monday.
In County Antrim, the BBC's Chris Buckler said it had been a "really tough weekend, with about 140,000 homes losing electricity at some point". In rural areas, farmers are concerned for their livestock and there are fears thousands of animals may have died.
Helicopters had been used to drop engineers in to areas in need of repairs and about 1,000 households remained cut off on Monday, he said. Farmer Campbell Tweed, a farmer from Cairncastle, near Larne, in County Antrim, said some of his sheep were getting their first feed in four days.
On higher ground and in rural areas, the picture was worse: "Farmers were perhaps not prepared for the amount of snow that has fallen, for the amount of cold weather there's been. "Road conditions are just incredibly bad. There's places where the snow at the side of the road is higher than the vehicles.
"We've seen livestock in the snow, there's particularly concern for lambs. "It's coming late in a very, very tough winter - it's just putting the tin hat on us for many of us."
"They don't really know at this time how much damage has been done and how many animals have been killed in this cold snap, but thousands of animals have probably died. " There were also fears of "catastrophic losses" on the Isle of Man, where it is feared there are thousands of sheep and cattle buried in snow.
In Derbyshire's Peak District, Laura Boddy said she had been cut off for the last two days. According to the Isle of Man meteorological office, the island's recent snowfall was the heaviest recorded since 1963.
In England, Derbyshire County Council has said snow that has hit parts of the county are the worst the area has experienced for 50 years.
In the county's Peak District, Laura Boddy said she had been cut off for the last two days.
"We certainly started running out of milk earlier on, and bread, but we managed to get out to a farm by walking over and through the drifts," she said."We certainly started running out of milk earlier on, and bread, but we managed to get out to a farm by walking over and through the drifts," she said.
"In fact at times we had to walk on top of walls because that was the only clear space we could get to. It's still very snowy, thankfully the wind has now died down a bit but there have been drifts that are seven or eight feet high.""In fact at times we had to walk on top of walls because that was the only clear space we could get to. It's still very snowy, thankfully the wind has now died down a bit but there have been drifts that are seven or eight feet high."
In other developments: In Cumbria, electricity supplies have now been restored to all areas, and many roads have reopened after the weekend's severe weather.
In its forecast, the Met Office issued an extension to its previous amber alert for "severe weather action". Experts say there is a 100% probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions between 08:00 GMT on Monday and 08:00 GMT on Friday in parts of England. However, road access to the hamlet of Hall Waberthwaite, near Millom, were still blocked by drifts on Monday and one resident said their situation was "dire", with food in the 10 properties starting to run out.
"Bitterly cold easterly winds will persist this week, bringing snow showers to north-east England and light snow flurries across other areas of England. With lying snow and partial snow melt during the daytimes, icy conditions are likely during the nights," it said. In its forecast, the Met Office issued an extension to its previous amber alert for "severe weather action".
Experts say there is a 100% probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions between 08:00 GMT on Monday and 08:00 GMT on Friday in parts of England.
"Bitterly cold easterly winds will persist this week, bringing snow showers to north-east England and light snow flurries across other areas of England.
"With lying snow and partial snow melt during the daytimes, icy conditions are likely during the nights," it said.
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