Snow-hit Aberdeenshire village experiencing ‘worst winter in 25 years’
A village in Aberdeenshire has seen 30cm (just under 1ft) of snow in “one of the worst winters in 25 years”, according to locals.
Doug Griffin, 58, has lived in Insch, Aberdeenshire, for 25 years, and said the weather conditions – which have caused the village to be cut off – are “remarkable” and “exceptional”.
He said that while residents are used to snow, the drifts on Wednesday were currently 30cm (just under 12in) deep, and had been higher on Tuesday before they thawed.
Mr Griffin, a father-of-two who works from home for the North Sea Transition Authority, said that on Tuesday the drifts had been around 50cm deep.
He said that a snow plough had cleared the entrance to the local Co-Op, which he photographed on Tuesday evening with piles of snow reaching almost to the roof.
Mr Griffin said: “It has been a long time since we have had anything like this, it is very different here. We moved up to the north-east 25 years ago, the first winter was quite bad, 2010 was quite bad, but this might be the worst.
“I was going round to the Co-Op to get some stuff, and it took my breath away. They ploughed the road, I think they had cleared some of the car park.
“I think there’s about 30cm of snow lying everywhere at the moment.
“It is slightly wetter today, and I think some of the snow in Aberdeen has gone.
“At my front door, the depth is about 30cm. We are snowed in, we have not been able to get out of the village for a few days.”
Snow outside the local Co-Op in Insch on Tuesday (Doug Griffin /PA Wire)
Tara Cobham7 January 2026 14:00
Ambulance 999 calls soar during freezing weather as Storm Goretti to hit UK
Arctic air has plunged much of the country into sub-zero temperatures following the turn of the year, with temperatures falling to as low as -12.5 in Norfolk, while many northern regions have been blanketed in heavy snow.
The treacherous conditions, which have caused major disruption to transport services, have triggered amber cold health alerts and a warning from health secretary Wes Streeting that hospitals were coming under intense pressure.
Tara Cobham7 January 2026 13:45
Hundreds of schools shut for third day as further ice and snow warnings issued
Hundreds of schools in northern Scotland remain shut for a third day as the country continues to be gripped by wintry conditions, with fresh weather warnings issued.
Heavy snow has delayed the return to school after the winter break for thousands of pupils in northern Scotland who were due to go back on Monday.
In Aberdeenshire all schools and council-run nurseries remain closed for a third day on Wednesday, along with dozens of schools in Moray and Aberdeen and a number of those in Orkney and Shetland.
Pupils in the Highlands were due to return from the holidays on Wednesday but many now have an extra day off, with more than 120 schools shut due to the weather conditions.
In Aberdeenshire all schools and council-run nurseries remain closed for a third day on Wednesday (Getty)
Tara Cobham7 January 2026 13:35
Nine children among 18 injured after school coach crashes with Reading bus due to black ice
Nine children are among 18 people who have been injured after a school coach crashed with a bus due to black ice.
Police confirmed there were two collisions at a roundabout in Reading on Wednesday as a result of the bad weather – one involving two cars and one involving a school coach and a Reading bus. The ambulance service said the incidents happened near the Sutton Seeds Roundabout in Early shortly after 8am.
Nine children from the school coach suffered minor injuries, along with the coach driver, and eight adults from the Reading bus also suffered minor wounds. Two people were taken to hospital, while the remaining 16 people were discharged at the scene.
No one was injured in the crash involving two cars.
Thames Valley Police said “road conditions were very icy at the scene” with “weather-related black ice” confirmed as the cause of the incidents.
Tara Cobham7 January 2026 13:23
Cold weather payments triggered in over 400 postcodes
Bryony Gooch7 January 2026 13:01
Watch: Moment passerby walks over frozen lake to save dog walker stuck in iceMoment passerby walks over frozen lake to save dog walker stuck in ice
Bryony Gooch7 January 2026 12:50
Vulnerable pensioners to receive extra support as Cold Weather Payments triggered
Vulnerable pensioners and other households on low incomes will receive automatic payments of £25 to help them stay warm this week, the Department of Work and Pensions has said after cold weather payments were triggered six times since November last year.
Over one million eligible households to automatically receive £25 for every seven-consecutive-day period of very cold weather.
Payments have been triggered in 697 postcodes across parts of England, Wales and Northern Ireland as temperatures drop to zero degrees or below.
Support is available to those on Pension Credit as well as some on Universal Credit and other qualifying benefits
Bryony Gooch7 January 2026 12:41
Red Cross teams on the ground in Scotland and Northern Ireland
British Red Cross teams have been on the ground in areas including Scotland and Northern Ireland, providing support to those affected by the freezing conditions. The charity has also deployed emergency response vehicles to help transport domiciliary care workers, ensuring vital care reaches people who need it most.
Eleanor Stack, British Red Cross Operations Lead, said: “With multiple yellow weather warnings for snow and ice on Wednesday and Thursday, our teams are on standby again.
“As the temperature dips, there are some simple steps we can all take to make sure we are prepared for the colder weather. This includes thinking about your home heating and other ways to keep warm as well as preventing water pipes from freezing.
“Your travel might be disrupted by severe winter weather too. Consider whether you really need to travel or if you should wait until conditions improve, especially if the weather is severe. You should especially bear this in mind when travelling with people who may need more help such as younger children or older people. Always check the weather forecast and travel updates and think about planning alternative routes in case you need them.”
Bryony Gooch7 January 2026 12:25
Storm Goretti brings amber warnings for heavy snow
The Met Office has issued an amber warning for heavy snow from Thursday evening into Friday, covering parts of Wales, the Midlands and South Yorkshire.
The snowfall, brought by Storm Goretti, will mean trains and planes could be delayed or cancelled, rural communities may cut off, and power cuts or disruption to mobile signal are likely, forecasters said.
The warning stretches from Sheffield in the north, down to Leicester, across much of the west Midlands and into Wales.It comes into force at 8pm on Thursday and ends at 9am on Friday.
Bryony Gooch7 January 2026 12:17
In pictures: Bus slips off road because of black ice
(PA)
(PA)
Bryony Gooch7 January 2026 12:10