Britain wakes to another morning cloaked in freezing mist

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Travel chaos has gripped Britain for a second morning as Brits awoke to more freezing fog and temperatures at zero in London – but the weather is set to turn mild by the end of the week. 

Freezing temperatures overnight have been followed by a blanket of fog, with a weather warning for travel disruption stretching from the South coast to the East coast, up to Lincolnshire.

Police were dealing with a serious crash involving up to 11 vehicles on the M25 in Buckinghamshire this morning, as motorists queued in the difficult conditions.

Twelve people – all men – were injured in the accident, with one having to be cut free from the wreckage.

But it’s believed none has life-threatening injuries and the motorway has now re-opened after the southbound carriageway was closed for more than two hours. 

Today’s cold start comes as odds shortened on a White Christmas in London and other parts of the country to as low as 3-1.

Temperatures were below freezing in Norwich, Peterborough and Southampton this morning as the mercury reached a low of -5.4C in Tulloch Bridge in Scotland on Monday.

A weather warning remains in place for downpours in the Scottish Highlands today, after the Met Office forecast up to 50mm of rain could fall within 24 hours.

At least eleven vehicles including a lorry were involved in a huge pile-up on the M25 this morning as freezing fog caused chaos across Britain. 

The crash, which took place at around 7am today, is reported to involve at least eight cars, a lorry, a van and a caravan near Chalfont Viaduct.

With police begging drivers to slow down in the reduced visibility, vehicles slammed into each other on the clockwise carriageway.

Traffic cops had to close the stretch just past junction 16, the interchange with the M40 in Buckinghamshire.

MailOnline has approached Thames Valley Police to see if there were any injuries as a result of the pile-up. 

The Met Office has forecast rain in the north and fog in the south east today as temperatures remain chilly.

But the fog warning, which should end at around 11am, is most likely to cause problems.

Met Office guidance for today reads: ‘The visibility is likely to be less than 100 m in places leading to difficult driving conditions and some disruption to transport. The odd icy stretch is also possible.’

Its full forecast for the day adds: ‘Outbreaks of rain across Scotland, moving south to affect parts of Northern Ireland, northern England and Wales. Some showers in the southwest and also the far southeast. Some sunny spells elsewhere, but fog patches slow to clear and feeling cold.

Evening fog is expected to clear in the south east later today with cloud and patchy rain moving in. Frost may settle in western parts as clearer skies approach.

Temperatures are expected to settle and become milder by the weekend, after wet and windy weather on Wednesday and Thursday. 

While freezing fog has blighted parts of the country, parts of West Derby in Merseyside has been left underwater after heavy rainfall last night.

Pictures from the scene show drivers have been forced to abandon their vehicles after their cars were submerged in flood water and fire crews are on scene. 

Paddy Power has cut odds on the chances of a White Christmas across Britain.

Odds in London now sitting at 4-1, down from 11-2 yesterday.

A Paddy Power spokesman said: ‘The odds for snow on Christmas day have shortened in a few different areas due to the recent cold snap.

‘The good news is that might mean you’re trapped in your house on the 25th, the bad news is it might mean you’re trapped with some pesky in-laws, too. It might make you wish for a one-household Christmas after all.’

The shortest odds are in Scotland, with odds of 3/1 in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dundee. 

There are odds of 4/1 in London and Dublin and 5/1 in Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham.

Fog patches yesterday caused havoc on Britain’s roads, including in Wiltshire, where a ‘death trap’ van was left stranded on the M4. 

Traffic police said with visibility cut by the blanket of freezing fog, and no overhead lights on that stretch, motorists would not have seen the turned-turtle van in the pitch dark.

Amazingly, vehicles managed to swerve round it and a tragedy was narrowly avoided – police cars raced to the scene at to cone off the van and flag down traffic.

Elsewhere on the roads, a driver escaped with only minor injuries unharmed after veering off a misty road in Saltersgate Bank, near Scarborough in North Yorkshire.

Fog is remaining in place well into the mornings this week due to continuing cold conditions.

Cloudy and frosty conditions mean keep dew in the air, with it only able to evaporate as temperatures climb throughout the day.

Once the mercury rises, the fog can start to clear.