An abandoned car lays in a ditch due to adverse driving conditions in Belfast, Northern Ireland

Drivers have been warned to only travel if necessary as severe gales and snow showers bring travel disruption to much of the UK.

Almost all rush-hour trains to London Waterloo, Britain's busiest station, were either cancelled or delayed, and many rail lines across the country were blocked by fallen trees and debris.

A yellow warning for snow and ice has been issued for northern England, Northern Ireland and parts of southern and central Scotland.

Follow the latest updates on the severe weather and travel disruption below

Snow affects UK travel Show all 23 1 /23 Snow affects UK travel Snow affects UK travel Snow causes difficult driving conditions at junction 22 of the the M62 motorway at Saddleworth in the South Pennines Rex Features Snow affects UK travel The runway and grounds at Glasgow Airport being cleared of snow PA Snow affects UK travel Travelers are being warned of dangerous roads conditions Getty Images Snow affects UK travel A Volkswagen car crashed against a Royal Mail postbox on Manse Road, Glasgow PA Snow affects UK travel Geoff Clark and his son William, 8, from Low Fell, sledging under the Angel of the North PA Snow affects UK travel Workers are having to de-ice planes at Glasgow Airport Jill Livingston Snow affects UK travel Huddersfield have experienced particularly poor visibility on the roads Getty Images Snow affects UK travel Highways England warned road users to pack shovels, food and water if they do venture out PA Snow affects UK travel A couple clearing snow off their car in Glasgow, as Britain saw one of the coldest nights of the year with temperatures falling to minus 12.3C at Loch Glascarnoch in the Scottish Highlands PA Snow affects UK travel Police attend an incident where a car came off the road in Greater Manchester Rex Features Snow affects UK travel People walk through the snow in York PA Snow affects UK travel A camel stands in the snow on a farm near Richmond, North Yorkshire PA Snow affects UK travel Huddersfield streets are covered in snow Getty Images Snow affects UK travel Leann and her children Alex (left) and Sarah sledge at Mam Tor in the Peak District PA Snow affects UK travel A Christmas tree is collected in the snow in Glasgow PA Snow affects UK travel Glasgow airport was closed during the morning due to the conditions PA Snow affects UK travel Mother Katie Meziani with her children Adam and Sara walking through the snow in Glasgow PA Snow affects UK travel Heavy snow, rain, thunderstorms and wind have caused disruption across much of Britain as a band of "severe" weather rolled across the country PA Snow affects UK travel Highland cattle in the snow by the A66 in Durham PA Snow affects UK travel A person ventures out in Glasgow. PA Snow affects UK travel A flight takes off at Glasgow Airport as the grounds are being cleared of snow PA Snow affects UK travel People attempt to travel around in the bad weather conditions PA Snow affects UK travel A snow covered landscape at Holmesfield in Derbyshire PA

Poor weather conditions are also affecting railways in the Midlands, with overhead electric wires damaged between Wolverhampton and Stafford.

Passengers are being warned to expect delays to and from Manchester Piccadilly, between Birmingham New Street and Crewe, through Birmingham New Street and between Birmingham New Street and Redditch.

On Wednesday, persistent snow and ice caused treacherous driving conditions and brought the M74 in Scotland to a standstill, but Traffic Scotland said there were no significant incidents on the roads for rush hour traffic and traffic on the M74 was "coping well".

During the night, Police Scotland issued a "stage four" warning, advising drivers to avoid travelling on roads in areas covered by amber snow warnings.