PARTS of Scotland were colder than the Arctic yesterday as icy weather refused to give way to the warmer rays of spring.

Hundreds of snowboarders and skiers enjoyed an extra out-of-season session at Glencoe and Cairngorm.

They were taking advantage of fresh snow – eight inches fell during last week at the Cairngorm resort near Aviemore, bringing excellent skiing conditions, despite spring weather elsewhere.

Snow started to fall in areas as low as 100 metres over the weekend and the temperatures dropped to -5°C.

Meanwhile, the temperature yesterday in Svalbard – a group of Norwegian islands in the Arctic Circle – was -3°C.

Scotland's average May temperature is 13°C.

Forecaster Nick Prebble of MeteoGroup, said: "We've seen flurries of snow over the Grampians and north-west Highlands, and there's been sleet there, too.

"There have also been a few light sleet showers in northern England."

Forecasters expect winter's grip to loosen on the north of Scotland today.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: There will be cloud and outbreaks of rain and hill snow in the north. Temperatures will reach around 5°C .

"Today will see brighter but showery conditions for Glasgow and the west."

The wintry weather follows weeks of wet conditions in England, which brought floods to widespread parts of the country.

The Environment Agency said that although flood levels were receding, they would be monitoring the situation.