It's the middle of May! Two inches of snow, one month's rainfall in a day and 65mph winds hit Britain

Up to 2in snow reported in Princetown, Devon, and Rhayader, Powys

And 3in snow fell on high ground in Shropshire near Welsh border



Month's rain in 24 hours to 7am today in Pembrey, Carmarthenshire

Slates come off roofs and trees block roads in Devon and Cornwall

Today and tomorrow will see mixture of sunshine and showers in UK

England and Wales will be mainly dry on Saturday but wet on Sunday



When the country basked in temperatures warmer than the Mediterranean earlier this month, it seemed spring had finally sprung.

But just two weeks later, the weather is not so much balmy as barmy.

Villagers woke yesterday to discover two inches of snow in rural Shropshire, while blizzards caught walkers and cyclists by surprise on the Cumbrian Pennines.

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Active: Skiers were out at Cairngorm in the Scottish Highlands, where there is still a good covering of snow

Christmas scenes: Unseasonal snowy scenes greeted people waking up in Newcastle-on-Clun, Shrospshire

Covered: Residents in the Shropshire village of Newcastle-on-Clun couldn't believe their eyes when they awoke Picturesque: The scene near the village of Newcastle-on-Clun, Shropshire, which greeted shocked resident Polly Smith as she awoke to about 2in of snow

Flurries: Mark Shackleton works at the Dartmoor Brewery in Princetown, Devon - the highest brewery in the British Isles, which is around 1,450ft above sea level, and took some photos of the snow falling last night Unusual scene: Mr Shackleton said he had only previously seen snow in Princetown, Devon, in the 1990s

And in Devon – where businesses are turning their thoughts to the summer tourist trade – snow flurries gave villages a winter wonderland theme.

The scenes prompted Ladbrokes to slash the odds of snow falling over the bank holiday weekend.

Elsewhere, Devon and Cornwall were lashed by 65mph gales which caused power cuts, ripped slates from roofs and felled trees and telephone lines, while parts of Carmarthenshire were soaked with three inches of rain – a month’s worth in just one day.

Blizzards also fell over Wales as the unseasonal conditions swept north east towards the Pennines and Newcastle upon Tyne.



The miserable weather was a far cry from the May Day weekend, when temperatures peaked at 22C (71.6F) at Heathrow and Doncaster – a degree higher than parts of the Mediterranean.

Tough conditions: Snow blizzards fall across the Pennines in Cumbria today, forcing ramblers to wrap up warm

Difficult for drivers: Snow blizzards fall across the Pennines in Cumbria, covering vehicles and roads in snow Cold grip: A snowball is held in the Pennines in Cumbria after an unusual amount of snow fell for mid-May

Hard work: A cyclist pushes their bicycle up a hill in the Pennines in Cumbria amid snow blizzards Crash: Waves smash against the shore in Great Yarmouth harbour, Norfolk, during the cold and windy weather Yesterday Polly Smith, who lives near the village of Newcastle-on-Clun in Shropshire, said she was shocked to see snow covering her car and garden when she pulled back her bedroom curtains.

‘We’ve been here 28 years and it is the first time we’ve had snow in May,’ she said. Several roads in the county were also closed due to flash flooding.Around 1,800 homes around Penzance, Cornwall, were hit by power cuts caused by fierce winds. Forecasters said the snow was caused by very wet and windy weather in the affected areas, combined with cooler than normal temperatures after sunset. The Met Office said the last widespread snowfall in May was on May 17, 1955, when it covered much of England and Wales.

Slippery surfaces: A car is covered in a layer of snow after blizzards fell across the Pennines in Cumbria Making their way: Ramblers tried their best to battle through the snow in the Pennines in Cumbria