It’s a Welshpool white-out!

We’re a tough bunch in the Welshpool area, but the weather has won overnight with the town almost coming to a complete standstill this morning.

Schools are closed, road networks are decimated and a number of businesses have conceded defeat and apologised to customers.

Cars were left abandoned last night as the heavy winds caused dangerous drifts and temperatures plummeted down to the coldest we have felt this winter.

Emergency services were stretched, with stranded drivers in Llanfair Caereinion and on the Long Mountain needing assistance. Severn Trent, communications and electricity engineers are among those too that have been working through the night to keep us connected.

NHS workers made appeals on social media to four-wheel vehicle owners to help them get to work across the border to Telford and Shrewsbury.

The rail service has been struck, while further afield, the road from Newtown to Llandrindod Wells was closed this morning.

Both Welshpool Police Station and Welshpool Fire Station are warning people to only travel by car if absolutely necessary with the cold snap expected to continue well into the weekend and early next week.

PICTURE (From reader Thomas Richards on Twitter): Thomas told us he woke up to a frozen Goblin Shark in the lanes of Llangynew! He joked: “Possible frozen Goblin Shark found on lanes in Llangynew. Please be wary as there there may be increased risk to life!”