DORSET may have been shivering but the freezing weather has brought spectacular photographic opportunities.

It's not only the council gritters that have been out and about as the temperatures plunge – snappers have also made the most of capturing dramatic landscapes.

They include Peter Staddon whose picture of a 'rainbow cloud' was captured over Portland.

"I've never seen anything like it, I was amazed," he said.

The phenomenon is known as cloud iridescence which is caused by small water droplets or ice crystals individually scattering light in thinner clouds.

Another spectacular landscape shot was captured by Emily Endean who was up very early on Saturday and braved freezing conditions to capture the sunrise over Corfe Castle.

She managed to capture a shooting star in her amazing long exposure image – although she wondered if it was the International Space Station passing over Purbeck.

An atmospheric shot of the River Stour on a frosty morning was captured by PDD Photography.

Temperatures plummeted to below 0 degrees C at the weekend with a Met Office ice warning running into Saturday.

A crisp white frost created a winter wonderland as cold weather took hold.

Another alert was issued at the weekend warning of snow, but the county only saw a flurry on the hills.

It will remain cold over the coming days, although there are no alerts for severe weather, and rain is expected.

Flood warnings for the Winterborne river in north and west Dorset remain in place and flood alerts were still active for the Lower Frome and Piddle rivers.

Don't forget to send us your weather pictures - but only if you're in a safe place.

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