In the bleak midwinter: Eggleston Abbey near Barnard Castle, Teesdale as the cold continues to grip the UK
Britain woke up to the return of freezing weather today as forecasters warned temperatures had plummeted as low as -18c (0.4f).
After a brief respite of milder weather this weekend - London enjoyed a relatively balmy 6c (43f) yesterday - the big freeze is back.
Last night the mercury plunged to -18C in parts of North Yorkshire while more snow, sleet and patches of freezing fog hit large swathes of the country as millions returned to work after a chilly commute.
In Scotland, Edinburgh airport remains hampered by the weather for the second week in a row with runways closed until at least 2pm today. Glasgow airport is also closed until at least 12:30pm as staff try to clear snow from the runway.
In England, there's better news for travellers hoping to jet away for winter warmth. All of England's airports are currently open although there are possible delays at Newcastle because of 'de-icing issues'.
At Gatwick, which was forced to cancel around 1200 flights over two days last week, operations have returned to normal although travellers are being advised to allow extra time for their journey because fog is causing poor visibility on nearby roads.
The fog is also affecting London City airport with many flights cancelled this morning due to low visibility.
Fun in the snow: This duo made the most of the cold weather and went for a slide at Barnard Castle
Stephen Davenport, forecaster for MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: 'It was another very cold night and it has been well below freezing almost everywhere.
'Even London was close to minus 3C - it reached minus 2.8C in St James's Park. 'Only the Isles of Scilly and the far south-west of Cornwall stayed above freezing. 'It's been so low overnight that temperatures are struggling to come up.'
As fears of panic-buying and fuel shortages receded temporarily with the weekend thaw the focus will now shift once again to the country's transport network.
The unprecedented snowfall last week left scores of roads and railway lines paralysed, closed airports and shut thousands of schools.
The Royal Mail suspended its guaranteed next day delivery service whilst online book retailer Amazon warned its deliveries could be delayed by one to two days.
Icy outlook: Gibsons cave in Bowlees, Teesdale as the severe winter weather continues to grip the UK
The shelves are bare: Shortages have meant milk is running out in supermarkets like this store in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
Bend ze knees: One skier makes the most of the chilly snap by taking to the slopes in Glenshee north of the border
Supermarket shelves were emptied, fears of a fuel crisis grew and toys bound for UK ports were turned away due to treacherous conditions.
And with four in ten workers staying at home the economy lost a staggering £1.2billion each day.
Figures revealed yesterday show the Arctic weather also hit the high street.
The Christmas shopping rush, usually seen during the final days of November, failed to materialise this year as fewer consumers braved the heavy snow.
It also damaged online sales amid fears that orders risked getting lost during the snow chaos, or being caught up in a backlog of deliveries.
The growth in non-store sales was well down on the 39.2 per cent seen last year, according to the BDO High Street Sales Tracker.
But Don Williams, BDO head of retail, said the figures were not a cause for concern. 'Retailers will be nervous, but the fact we've had this snowfall at the end of November rather than mid-December means they won't have to panic discount,' he said.
The restrictions on truckers' working hours have been relaxed to help vital supplies get through during the current spell of snowy weather.
The nine-hour daily driving limit has been increased to 10 hours for all heavy goods vehicles until Wednesday in a bid to ease the supply of fuel, food and gritting salt. The government urged the country not to panic-buy and insisted there was no problem with the supply of food and fuel.
And in a bid to reassure motorists the Transport Secretary Philip Hammond insisted that plentiful salt supplies were available, with mines in the UK producing 12,000 tons a week.
The Highways Agency said it had so far used 35,0000 tonnes of salt on the country's main routes and still had 225,000 tonnes in stock.
Making the most of it: A snowboarder in Glenravel Glen, north of Belfast
Arctic England: People walk through the snow near Great Chart near Ashford, Kent while a woman crosses the frozen River Foss in York
Blanketed: Gatwick Airport is covered in snow after days of flight disruption
With some areas covered by up to one metre of snow forecasters said Britain had already seen the deepest and most widespread snowfall for December since 1981.
And if the temperatures remain below average for the rest of the month it could also become the coldest on record since 1981, when temperatures dropped to -25c.
Met Office forecaster Tom Morgan said: 'Through the week daytime temperatures are going to really struggle to get above freezing and double-digit negatives by night.
'This looks set to continue until next weekend, when the weather should become milder again.
'The mild weather won't last though. It'll become very cold once again with temperatures dipping below freezing.'
After explaining the ceremony in English, the group stands and the 'minister' starts chanting in Dhivehi. Unfortunately for the happy couple, he is insulting them
Exotic weddings abroad are a booming business, particularly in the luxurious surroundings of the Maldives.
But one YouTube film has undermined the entire industry, showing members of staff mocking a western couple during a 'traditional' wedding ceremony at a luxury resort.
In the video, employees at the Vilu Reef Beach and Spa resort perform a supposedly spiritual service in their native Dhivehi tongue, but take the opportunity to abuse the English-speaking couple, calling them ‘infidel’ and ‘swine’ and declaring their marriage 'illegal'.
Oblivious: The couple are unaware that they are being insulted during the ceremony that was conducted in the traditional Maldivian tongue of Dhivehi
According to the Maldive news service Minivan News, the video which was uploaded to You Tube ‘as a joke’ shows an employee named Hussein Didi conducting a service as a 'celebrant' - a person who is empowered to perform a religious ceremony.
The document he uses, of which there is a brief close-up in the video, has absolutely no relation to marriage laws in the Maldives. Words that are legible on the document refer to ‘staff employment’, suggesting that it is a document relating to employment regulations.
Asking the couple and other ‘officials’ to raise their hands as is customary for Muslim prayers, the ‘celebrant’ begins his marriage vows.
‘Fornication has been legalised according to Article six, 1.11 of the Penal Code’, he chants in a tone favoured by religious scholars. ‘That is, frequent fornication by homosexuals. Most fornication is by males,’ he continues.
‘You are swine. The children that you bear from this marriage will all be bastard swine,’ he says to his guests.
‘Your marriage is not a valid one. You are not the kind of people who can have a valid marriage. One of you is an infidel. The other, too, is an infidel – and we have reason to believe – an atheist, who does not even believe in an infidel religion.’
The hapless couple remain oblivious as the ‘celebrant’, surrounded by 10-15 employees, calls for the marriage to be enshrined in Islamic law, followed by further personal insults against the couple.
None of the employees attempts to stop the 'ceremony' and several take photographs.
At the end of the 'service' the couple plant a coconut tree as Hussein Didi - who conducted the ceremony - and his crew make rude remarks about the bride's breasts Various types of insults about the woman and the man, their clothing and demeanour, are spoken throughout in the form of a running commentary in a sports video.
The woman speak English, largely just in reply to the 'officials', and it appears from the video that their surname is Alexander, although one news agency maintains they are Swiss.
As the bride bends down to plant the coconut tree, a man is heard is exclaiming: 'Can see her breasts!' To which the ‘commentator’ responds: 'my beard has gone grey watching those things… I have seen so many of them now that I don’t even want to look any more when I see them.'
A police investigation has been launched into the incident while management at the resort said that the employees have been sacked and evicted from the resort altogether.
But the resort admitted that it does not have a person who is specifically designated to perform the rituals.
Paradise lost: The couple who were renewing their vows at the resort were humiliated by employees during the ceremony
The groom, who is watering the new coconut tree which they have just planted, is totally unaware of the manner in which his wife and her breasts are being discussed by the group of Maldivian men ‘officiating’ at the renewal of their wedding vows.
‘Celebrant’ Didi tells the couple they should return soon to check on the progress of their plant, testament to what had taken place on the island that day.
The video concludes with the ‘commentator’ repeatedly urging the ‘celebrant’ to make the couple ‘suck mouths, suck mouths’ - an expression used by Maldivians to denigrate the act of kissing.
A stay at the exclusive luxury resort can cost £850 per person
In a statement the resort expressed its ‘deep concern and regret’ over the incident. Set on its own exclusive island in the Indian Ocean, the Maldive resort is a popular destination for couples intending to renew their marriage vows.
A stay at the Vilu Reef beach and Spa costs from $1335 per person and it is advertised as a place where couples can ‘celebrate and capture the special moments of your life and mark a milestone in your amazing journey together or wish to rejoice another year of life’.
The video has sparked outrage from tourism authorities in the country. Deputy Tourism Minister Ismail Yasir said ‘we are investigating the matter through the resort management.
'The management informed us in writing that it would send us its findings as the matter involves the company’s employees.’
• Do you know who the hapless couple so cruelly treated in the video are? Contact the Mail Online newsdesk on 020 7938 6011 or email websiteeditorial@dailymail.co.uk Warning: Graphic language (in Dhivehi)
Visitors ride in miniature Ferrari cars at the opening of the world's biggest indoor theme park, Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi has always been considered the quieter emirate when compared to gaudy cousin Dubai.
But all that could be set to change as the state prepares to welcome an estimated 10,000 tourists a day to the new Ferrari-themed amusement park - billed as the largest in the world.
Tourism chiefs hope the world's fastest rollercoaster - which travels at 149mph in 4.9 seconds, recreating the G-force felt in a Formula One car - and the more sedate life-size Scalextric-style track, will catapult it onto the world stage.
A visitor enjoys the ride at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi during its media launch in the Emirati capital
The park is expected to become a mecca for Grand Prix racing fans, particularly as the Formula One race is due to take place there next month, and the United Arab Emirates is said to have ploughed billions into the 861,000 square foot park.
The red roof of the indoor complex is modelled on the side profile of a Ferrari GT and is adorned with the largest prancing horse logo ever created.
Terror-ride: The 149mph rollercoaster in Abu Dhabi which has been built next to the new indoor Ferrari theme park
The track in Abu Dhabi: The world's fastest rollercoaster duplicates the G-forces felt by racing drivers in a Grand Prix
'We had only a few malls and desert safaris, we need such thrilling amusements and now we don't have to run to Dubai on weekends,' said Mohamed Mazroui, an Emirates' businessman and racing buff.
Once, Abu Dhabi was know as the more sober neighbour of glitsy Dubai, which made its name with extravagant property projects, outlandish tourist attractions and luxury shopping.
While Dubai spent the past decade transforming itself into a regional hub offering a Western-style nightlife, it remained more conservative when it came to drink and dress.
But when the global financial crisis hit, bursting Dubai's bubble and triggering debt problems that nearly sank the emirate's economy, things began to change.
As it wrangled with creditors over how its state-owned conglomerate Dubai World would restructure $26billion of debt, Abu Dhabi spent billions to diversify its economy away from oil, developing its industry, real estate, finance and tourism sectors.
Just next to Ferrari World's Yas Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi sits Saadiyat Island - a $27billion art and culture project planned to house spin-offs of the Louvre museum in Paris and New York's Guggenheim.
Abu Dhabi, which holds the bulk of the oil reserves of the UAE, the third-largest oil exporter in the world, is aiming for a 15 per cent annual increase of tourists with a target of 2.3 million by the end 2012.
Mubarak al Muhairi, director general of tourism, said: 'The Ferrari park is a major leap forward in our leisure proposition as it has enormous appeal regionally and internationally.'
Racing attraction: The biggest Prancing Horse logo in the world adorns the indoor Ferrari World Theme Park in Abu Dhabi
While Dubai spent the past decade transforming itself into a regional hub offering luxury shopping, beaches and a Western-style nightlife, Abu Dhabi has remained more conservative when it comes to drink and dress.
Theme park general manager Claus Frimand said: 'It will be a lot of sensations for every age group. We have managed to turn one of the world's most exclusive brands into an extraordinary experience for families and fans.'
Emirati visitors are shown a Ferrari displayed at the theme park
Blade runner: A participant in the Phuket Vegetarian Festival finds an unusual use for his knife collection
It is one of the first parental lessons you are taught as a young child. Sit up straight at the table, hold your knife and fork correctly, don’t play with your food. And definitely – definitely – don’t pierce your cheeks with the cutlery and push a spoon through the hole.
However, they do things a little differently in Thailand – as these images of the latest Phuket Vegetarian Festival demonstrate.
This annual nine-day event (which runs until October 16th) sees participants put themselves through a series of often painful trials.
As well as thrusting metal implements into their faces, the hardy souls involved walk on heated coals, take baths in hot oil and – perhaps most unnerving of all – climb ladders with rungs made of blades rather than wood.
Big event: The Festival sees parades and fireworks as well as displays of self-mutilation
But there is a serious side to proceedings beyond mere masochism.
The festival is supposed to be a programme of self-cleansing. Aside from their unusual antics with pointed pieces of metal, participants agree to give up alcohol, sex and – as the name suggests – meat for the duration of the event.
The festival’s origins are almost as odd as its unusual rituals.
It dates back to 1825, and the visit of a travelling Chinese theatre company to the Thai mining town of Get-Hoe.
Loud and proud: Devotees also detonate fire-crackers to dispel evil spirits
When the touring actors succumbed to tropical fever in the jungle-clad region, they opted to keep to a strict vegetarian diet, hoping that this would please the gods – who would then relieve them of the illness.
The plan worked – and whether or not the thespians’ improved health was down to better diet than celestial intervention – the festival was born.
Making a point: Devotees believe their painful trials bring good luck to those around them
Almost two centuries on, the face-piercing and mutilation are sacred rites that participants submit themselves to in a bid to cleanse themselves and their neighbours.
Devotees believe that they are entered by divine spirits during the festival. The possession gives them supernatural powers – and the ability to endure these excruciating tortures for the common good.
Their suffering – they hope – draws evil out of the community around them and, in doing so, brings positive luck to their friends and village.
Skewered: The nine-day festival runs until October 16
Happily for those who don’t wish to put themselves through something that will require heavy reconstructive surgery once the party is over, there are other ways to scare off dark powers.
The firework displays that take place during the festival – including the loudest and biggest, which rounds off matters on the final night – are also deemed to fend off evil spirits through sheer force of noise.
Putting on a brave face: The Wood and Rollins families say they will ride out the storm in this rented beach house in Avon, North Carolina
Tourists heading to the Big Apple this weekend could find themselves on the receiving end of Hurricane Earl.
The storm, downgraded from a Category Four to a Category 2 hurricane, battered North Carolina overnight forcing 100,000 people, many of them tourists, to evacuate the region.
Gusting winds, pounding surf and rain took a swipe at the U.S. East Coast on an offshore path towards New England and Canada. By 11pm local time last night, winds of 105 miles per hour were hitting the Carolina region.
Sign of the times: As motorists evacuate Hatteras Island in North Carolina, one person had time to leave Hurricane Earl a not-so-welcome message
Preparation: The path the hurricane is expected to take and (inset) workers prepare a house for a battering
The storm, which is now larger than California, had been downgraded from a monstrous Category 4 earlier in the evening. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from North Carolina.
Up to 26million people could be affected as the storm pummels the East Coast just in time for Labour Day weekend.
But, though weaker, Earl - which is passing east of North Carolina's Outer Banks islands that jut into the Atlantic, parallel to the coast - is still packing a dangerous punch
Hurricane chaser: Carolyn Butler, a computer scientist, studies information about Hurricane Earl on board the NASA aircraft that is following the storm
Leaving nothing behind: Mobile homes in Westport, Massachusetts are driven to safety
Time to go: Motorists are backed up along Route 12 as they leave the North Carolina coastline
Watching and waiting: Eight-year-olds Morgan Langley (right) and Stephen Lee watch the high surf caused approaching hurricane Earl
Hurricane-force winds of 74 mph or more extend 70 miles from its centre.
Tropical storm-force winds of at least 35 mph reach more than 200 miles out. The sheer size of the storm means that even though it is not striking the U.S. directly, it is still causing damage.
In anticipation of the high winds and 30ft waves that will flood homes, cause power cuts and delay flights, New York has issued a storm warning.
And homeowners all the way up to New Jersey and New York were boarding up their windows and preparing for evacuation.
Make way for Earl: Lifeguards at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina clear the beach in preparation for the storm
Flying into the eye of the storm: A NASA aircraft with a sensor used to measure data flies into Hurricane Earl to learn more about the storm
Waves of up to 20 feet have been recorded off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina - but so far storm surge along the coast has been limited.
The local tourism industry is already counting the cost of the storm's impact. Margo Metzger from North Carolina Tourism told TravelMail:'This weekend is what we call Labor Day weekend and it's one of the busiest. It’s a public holiday so it’s a long weekend in the US and its an unfortunate time because so many people are visiting the beach.'
In the coming days Boston will take a near direct hit before it continues through Maine to Canada.
The governors of Virginia and Maryland have also declared a state of emergency, handing control of planning and response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Watches and warnings were posted along the Atlantic coast for North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maine and parts of Canada's Nova Scotia and New Brunswick provinces. By mid-afternoon, the storm will have reached New Jersey and New York before heading to Boston tonight.
Batten down the hatches: A carpenter installs wooden boards over windows and doors on Hatteras Island
Calm: An image from the NASA 'hurricane chaser' shows the eye of Hurricane Earl over the Atlantic
North Carolina governor Beverly Perdue said: 'We're ready. As ready as anybody can be.'
The timing coincides with Labour Day in the U.S. when millions were planning to travel to the coast for the long weekend that heralds the end of summer.
Earl's predicted path means the eye of the storm will be over the Atlantic, just 30 miles off the coast.
But the National Hurricane Centre has only been able to plot is path with what it calls a 'cone of uncertainty', meaning it could swing inland at any moment.
Earl was today downgraded to a Category Two storm, three less than the most serious, such as the deadly level five Katrina in 2005.
The last notable hurricane to hit the north-east coast was Hurricane Bob in 1991 which left 18 dead and £1.8billion of damage.
FEMA advised residents to have a disaster plan in place and heed evacuation orders. 'You need to make sure you know where to go when you need to go.'
In New York, the Red Cross is ready to open up shelters housing up to 60,000.
Centre of the storm: This satellite image from the International Space Station shows the swirls of heavy rain and high winds
Powerful: The category four hurricane was predicted to touch the North Carolina coast before moving out to sea, but forecasters say it could now hit the state, Long Island and even Boston
Fears: The hurricane has winds of up to 140mph and could cause widespread damage if it does hit land
Calm before the storm: Glorious weather in Hatteras Village the evening before Hurricane Earl was expected to hit and, right, one resident takes a light-hearted view of the storm
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