While the south east and south of the country face a sharp dip in temperatures, Cornwall and much of Devon are set to avoid the freeze.

The Met Office has released a yellow alert of ice, with the area affected stretching from Kent right through to East Devon and up into the north of the UK.

While the temperatures in Cornwall and most of Devon are set to stay well above zero, motorists are warned to take care, particularly on higher ground.

The Met Office alert says that surface temperatures will fall to around or just below freezing late tonight into Friday morning across parts of England and Wales.

Adding that with a lot of standing water present in many areas from the recent wet weather and flooding icy stretches are expected to form, particularly on untreated surfaces and the public should be aware of the potential for disruption to travel on the roads.