Litter-pickers begin mammoth task of clearing beer cans, food cartons and laughing gas canisters

Litter-pickers headed out again this morning to clear up the empty beer cans, food cartons and laughing gas canisters left at beauty spots by Easter Sunday revellers. 

Primrose Hill – known for its awe-inspiring view across central London – was one of the green spaces to fall victim to the scourge despite repeated calls for people to take home their mess. 

It came as Britons packed beaches and parks all over the country to bask in warm temperatures of 18C (64.4F) and enjoy the easing of lockdown. 

It is unlikely similar scenes will be repeated today, with Arctic winds battering Britain overnight and thousands waking up to heavy snow, fierce winds and temperatures below freezing.   

Monday morning temperatures were far lower as cold northern winds moved over the country with the mercury at -1C up north and barely above freezing in the south. Duffield in Derbyshire was the most southerly place in the UK to see snow this morning. 

The Met Office has issued three snow and wind warnings – in what is predicted to be a three-day cold snap bringing ‘heavy snow showers’.

Met Office forecaster Sarah Kent said: ‘We will see this plunge of much colder conditions coming in. It’s Arctic maritime air, which does mean it’s coming from the Arctic.

‘So it’s going to be cold for everybody, but also windy too. The wind chill is going to be significant.’ 

The Met Office’s yellow warnings are in place from 4pm on Sunday until 10am on Tuesday for Scotland, with winds of up to 70mph forecast. Coastal areas of eastern England, parts of Wales and Northern Ireland could also see snow showers on Easter Monday.

Southern England can expect to see some sunshine and highs of 7C later in the day, but gusts of up to 30mph will make the temperature ‘feel like’ -1C, Ms Kent said.

It comes after the Met Office said highs of 17.9C (64.2F) were recorded in Pershore, Worcestershire, on Easter Sunday. The town is expected to see temperatures of 7C (44.6F) on Monday, an 11C fall.

Met Office forecaster Simon Partridge said: ‘There’ll be a drop of 11 degrees between one day and the next, so you will definitely notice it!’

Mr Partridge explained that a change of wind direction would bring a change in the atmosphere, leading to chilly weather.

He said: ‘The air we had on Sunday came in from the south so it’s pretty mild having come off the continent.

‘Overnight we’ll see a cold front moving southward across the country, it’s already across northern Scotland, and it’ll push its way southward overnight.

‘That will introduce much, much colder air across the whole country.’

Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Mark Sidaway, said: ‘After a settled, warm spell with plenty of sunshine particularly across England and Wales our weather will take a notable change in direction later in the weekend.

‘Very cold Arctic air will move in from the north west through Sunday, bringing snow showers and freezing overnight temperatures.

 ‘The snow showers will predominantly affect the north and west of the UK. The south and east will likely remain drier but still cold with a lower chance of wintry showers.’