TEMPERATURES dropped below freezing in Hampshire as Britain shivered through a wintry weekend.

Southampton woke up to icy windscreens and mist today with the needle plunging to minus 1.8C at Middle Wallop, while Basingstoke recorded a temperature of minus 1.6C.

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Elsewhere in the country Topcliffe in North Yorkshire saw the lowest overnight temperature of minus 6C while minus 5.6C was recorded in Benson, in south Oxfordshire.

Billy Payne, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said temperatures will struggle up slightly today but warned there is another chilly night ahead.

Showers are expected to push south before becoming confined to the north east of England this afternoon, he said, adding: "It's still a bit wintry in the hills but any snow which comes down will be short-lived."

Overnight there will be a widespread frost with temperatures again falling below zero in most places and as low as minus 5C in some areas.

There is also a risk of patches of freezing fog, Mr Payne added.

Next week will see the weather become more unsettled.

Temperatures will rise by Tuesday and could be closer to the average for November or even slightly warmer.

"It will be a bit unsettled with rain and strong winds," Mr Payne added.