DORSET shivered its way into Tuesday as temperatures plunged on the coldest night of the winter so far.

It dipped to as low as -5 degrees in some parts of the county yesterday, and it meant residents woke up to icy conditions.

Although Dorset’s gritting army was out through the night people were warned that roads and pavements were slippery as road temperatures were at or below freezing overnight.

Travel Dorset warned there was generally much heavier traffic on main routes

yesterday morning as drivers kept to the gritted network. Motorists were warned to expect delays and allow extra time for their journeys.

A technical fault with the pedestrian crossing on the A354 Weymouth Way near Chafeys roundabout at Southill added to problems.

It caused “severe delays” as the fault meant the traffic lights kept going back to

red.

Despite the icy conditions, police said there were no reported collisions due to the weather.

The winter weather makes for some fantastic photographic opportunities as these pictures show.

Pete Scott’s shot of an illuminated Corfe Castle was taken in freezing temperatures but under clear skies.

It will be a lot milder for the next few days but it is expected to turn cold again towards the weekend.

Ahead of severe weather this winter, the AA advises drivers to give themselves more time on frosty mornings to de-ice all the windows using a scraper rather

than leaving the engine running and risk having

the car stolen, as has happened in other parts of the country.

Highways England advises motorists to drive to the conditions, reduce speed, plan their journeys and monitor weather reports