Icicles on a roadside hedge just outside Pattingham, near Telford

Shropshire and Mid Wales were today braced for the worst weather of the winter as the big freeze tightened its grip on Britain.

A severe weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for tomorrow morning, with frozen snow and black ice expected in the region.

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Motorists are being warned not to make journeys unless absolutely necessary, with heavy snow and sleet showers are expected to envelop the county this afternoon.

And high winds will make the temperature feel considerably colder than the forecast 1C.

The wintry showers will last for about two hours as they move southwards, but occasional flurries of snow are expected during the night when temperatures will plunge to -5C.

There will be further snowfalls tomorrow, but Monday is set to be drier and brighter.

And Shropshire weather expert John Warner has said that milder temperatures and copious amounts of rain forecast for the middle of next week could dash hopes of a white Christmas.

Meanwhile, council chiefs in Telford & Wrekin have promised to make sure major routes in and out of the borough are gritted during the big freeze after it splashed out £15,000 on a new salt barn which has increased the grit-storing capacity by almost a quarter.

Councillor Steve Bentley, the council’s cabinet member for environment, said: “Throughout the Christmas holiday period our gritting teams will be on standby. And, looking at the forecast, they’ll be pretty busy.

“Although we salt a much higher percentage than many other councils do, people still need to be aware that there are still a number of other roads that we don’t grit.

“Our message to drivers is to take extra care when driving about this Christmas.”

He added: “It is also a time to remember to keep an eye on older or vulnerable people who may have difficulty getting out and about.”

Meanwhile, a power company announced it is to cut electricity supplies to a village in Telford for seven hours on Monday. Central Networks, the power distribution arm of E.on, said it would be pulling the plug on supplies to Jackfield from 9am to 4pm to allow branches to be cleared from overhead powerlines.

Central Networks spokesman Jonathan Smith said: “We could have removed the branches early in the new year but then, if they had caused a problem next week or on Christmas Day we would have been criticised for not acting sooner.”

By Brett Gibbons