Brace yourself for a freezing Easter as -8C cold snap hits Britain

The cold snap will tighten it's grip on the UK today, with northerly winds sending the mercury tumbling, according to weather forecasters.

Forecaster Julian Mayes said: "It's going to be getting windy on Thursday and Good Friday, and there will be showers which might turn wintry.

"There will be quite a wind chill with this northerly wind."

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Patchy frost is expected on Friday, and parts of Scotland could see temperatures as low as -3C or -4C on Saturday, he said.

The tops of the Cairngorm mountains may even be as cold as -8C.

"It's going to feel bitterly cold," Mr Mayes said, "but there will be bright sunshine as well, so if people wrap up well it won't be too miserable."

The bleak weather has already shown its face in some parts of the country, with flooding hitting southern England over the weekend as a result of a week of rain in just 24 hours.

A couple and their 11-year-old son had to be rescued after their car broke down in floods near Wokingham, while folks in Gloucester, Oxford and East Anglia were left sloshing water out of their homes - in an eerie reminder of last summer's floods.

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With snow showers and freezing winds due over the four-day break, the roads are expected to be miserable places over the four day break - with chronic traffic jams expected for millions across the country.

What's more, rail passengers will be facing delays and cancellations over the break as engineering work is carried out.

Euston station in London will be closed to Virgin West Coast services on Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

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The East Coast Main Line operator National Express will also have altered service levels over the holiday.

And services running through Clapham Junction in south London - the country's largest railway station - will be affected by a major project to renew track in the area.

Travelers will be holding their breath that the holiday will not see a repeat of the disastrous New Year rail work overruns – which saw Network Rail fined a record £14million by the Office of Rail Regulation.

With the company under pressure to ensure its next batch of bank holiday projects are completed on time, chief executive Iain Coucher said: "While we know that our plans affect passengers' plans, the demands on our rail network are growing and we need to invest to deliver a better service for everyone.

"The vast majority of the railway is open for business this Easter, but our investment programme will impact services on some major routes, such as the West Coast Main Line.

"Passengers are strongly advised to check before travelling.

"Following the New Year, we have listened to passengers and those who represent them and now our planning and preparation is more robust than ever."

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With such a grim outlook for Britain, millions will be throwing in the towel and opting for sunshine breaks in Florida, Spain and Portugal.

And with temperatures ranging from 20 – 40C who can blame them?

But even these plans risk being scuppered as blanket snowfall is expected in many areas of the country – which could lead to flights being grounded if conditions become severe.

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The grim outlook is a stark contrast to last year's bank holiday getaway weather, when temperatures soared way above average, reaching 20C.

Even so, a record 2.5million Brits still chose to head for sunnier climes, with Spain and Turkey the most popular destinations.