Homeless people are finding it harder than ever to shelter as the Beast from the East topped cardboard boxes and trolleys with snow.

With up to 12 inches expected to fall in certain areas by the end of today, belongings of rough sleepers were seen topped with powder in Windsor, Berkshire, where Prince Harry will marry Meghan Markle in May.

The market town on the River Thames has an average house price of £581,781 - more than double the average cost of properties bought through mortgages last year, which was £250,987.

Snow was pictured on piles of cardboard the homeless of Berkshire attempt to shelter under this afternoon as the Beast From the East returns

Temperatures are set to drop to -2C tonight in Windsor, whose council was criticised last month for announcing fines of up to £1,000 for rough sleepers.

The Conservative-run Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead - which also includes Eton and Ascot - announced Public Space Protection Orders banning begging.

Breaches under the proposal would have been punished with a £100 fixed penalty notice, reduced to £50 if paid early.

But fines could rise to £1,000 if the offender failed to pay and rough sleepers faced summary convictions. The plans were dropped last month after public outcry.

A trolley piled with a homeless person's belongings is pictured smothered in snow in Windsor, where the council dropped plans to fine rough sleepers

Council leader Simon Dudley demanded police remove homeless people from the streets ahead of the royal wedding.

Prime minister Theresa May - whose constituency is Maidenhead - spoke out against his comments in January, saying she 'did not agree' with the proposal.

Cllr Dudley apologised after saying 'detritus' resulting from homelessness could constitute a security risk and accusing rough sleepers of exploiting residents as well as tourists.

The prime minister took steps to distance herself from Simon Dudley (pictured) after he called for the police to clear the streets of homeless people ahead of the royal wedding

In January a government report announced that Windsor had suffered a 38 per cent rise in homelessness.

Weather will hit severe levels across the country, with 'risk to life' warnings issued across the south-west of England.

Yellow warnings are also in place for most of England and Wales as well as south-west Scotland and parts of Northern Ireland.