The beauty of Shropshire has never been more in evidence, with the layer of snow blanketing the region giving both professional and amateur photographers the chance to capture the county’s winter wonderland.

As sub-zero weather continues its grip on the area, lakes have frozen over and there is even enough snow on the hills for skiers and snowboarders to keep their hand in.

Wildlife is struggling to cope with the conditions in some places. The ducks at Powis Castle have found their water has frozen over and are limited to a small area for swimming.

The Shopshire Hills are as beautiful as ever.

Caer Caradoc has seen winter sports enthusiasts snowboarding from the top – making the area look more like a scene from the Alps than England.

But not everybody is enjoying the icy conditions, some villages have been all but cut off from the rest of the county with residents unable, or unwilling to venture out.

Village shops across the county have been praised by Shropshire Council leader Keith Barrow for the “vital lifeline” they are providing during the cold weather.

About 36 per cent of the county population live in villages, hamlets and the countryside, and over the past week many people have been relying on the shops for supplies.

Mr Barrow said: “With much of the county under snow and ice for the past few days, local shops have been providing a vital lifeline to people who need to stock up on food and other essential items, but who may be unable or unwilling to travel to supermarkets or town centres due to the weather.

“I know from personal experience just how important the shop in my village has been for me and my neighbours over the past few days.

“I’d like to thank all the shop keepers and shop staff for the valuable role they have been playing over the past few days, often working long hours to provide a fantastic and vital service to local people.”

He added: “Given the rural nature of the county, Shropshire’s local shops provide a valuable service all year round.

“However, it’s during spells of bad weather when this becomes even more apparent, as village shops reduce the need for people to travel, or to travel further then necessary, to buy vital supplies.”

And villagers in Selattyn near Oswestry ensured their primary school re-opened by grabbing shovels to clear snow.

The village was badly affected, with a foot of snow forcing the school to close on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Wednesday and Thursday, a group of volunteers from the village formed a working party to dig out paths and pavements to open up access to the school.

By 9am on Friday morning, the school was back in business and it was classes as normal for staff and children.

In Shrewsbury shoppers were met with a festive sight two weeks late as massive icicles formed on a Christmas tree above a Shrewsbury shop.

Bosses of bed and linen store Feather and Black had to put up a sign with a warning – Beware icicles above – to ensure people took care as they walked past the shop in Wyle Cop.

The large icicles formed on a Christmas tree hanging above the shop front after water came down through a damaged gutter.

Jo Aspinall, manager at the store, said: “We noticed them yesterday morning when we came in and were amazed at how big they are.

“We think with the gutter on the roof it’s dripped down from there.”

A family cut off by deep snow in Powys has praised the police and local businesses for coming to their rescue with essentials including food, fuel and medicines.

Shops in Knighton pulled out all the stops to help the Potter family of Heath Farm, Knighton, who have been unable to leave their home for the last three weeks.

The Dyfed-Powys Police helicopter was scrambled in a rescue operation to the farm on Wednesday after one of the family’s neighbours reported that the family had run out of food.

Annette Potter today thanked the police and her neighbours for coming to her family’s assistance.

She said: “Just before Christmas I fractured my skull and was unable to get out and about like I usually do.

“I live with my elderly parents and 14-year-old daughter and they can only manage to do so much.

“On December 21 my mum turned the four-wheel drive vehicle over on the bank so we were unable to get out until my dad went out to recover the vehicle a few days later.

“We did manage to get out on December 28 but it was a bank holiday so we couldn’t get much in terms of food and other essential items.

“As a result of all these things our stocks started to run very low and when the weather worsened we were just left stranded.

“Luckily for us our neighbour alerted the police and they sent out a police helicopter on Wednesday with food, animal feed, fuel and medication, that our local shops and businesses had provided them with.”

She added: “We just think its great that the police managed to help us. People often knock them but we have nothing but praise for them – they did a wonderful job.

“Everyone rallied around to help us and I can’t say enough about the local people, the police and shops.”