Derwent Water Walkers tentatively test the ice in the Lake District during the latest cold snap, but as stretches of water froze across the country, people were being warned not to try skating on ice.

Arctic weather tightened its grip on Britain, leaving thousands of motorists stranded – motoring organisations were receiving twice the usual number of emergency breakdown calls – and forcing schools to stay shut. Emergency cold weather payments were meanwhile triggered for pensioners.

Temperatures plunged below minus 10C (14F), even in parts of southern England in the early hours yesterday. The Met Office was warning of another freeze on the way tonight and said it would last until the weekend.

The freeze is driving unusual species of wild birds into gardens in search of food, such as redwings and fieldfares, snipe, woodcock and buntings. Concerned householders should include fruit, high energy seed mixes, bacon rind, stale cakes and mince pies in feeders.

Times Archive, 1947: Big Ben's chimes frozen

Midnight listeners noted sympathetically a lapse on the part of Big Ben under the influence of the frost. Only a few fragmentary notes of the well-known chimes were sounded and then the clock struck once. After that there was silence

• More snow today, 1963

• The great storm, 1891

Walkers and anglers are urged to avoid disturbing wetland birds, such as ducks, geese, swans and waders. If they are scared into taking flight, it could eat into their energy reserves and make the difference between life and death.