The region woke to a wintry blanket of frost this morning after temperatures plummeted to their coldest levels of the year so far.

Forecasters at Weatherquest in Norwich recorded sub-zero temperatures across Suffolk and Essex with the Santon Downham near Thetford registering the region’s coldest overnight temperature of -4.8C.

Other cold-spots in the county include Wattisham, where the mercury dipped to -2.8C, and Cavendish at -1.1C.

Nationally, Katesbridge in Northern Ireland saw the coldest overnight temperature of -8.8C. England and Wales also recorded their coldest temperatures of the year so far.

Weatherquest’s Dan Holley said the cold snap was due to a band of high pressure that has been building over the past two days coupled with still, cloudless nights.

“It’s been building since Christmas and then with the long, clear nights the temperatures really plummet,” he added

The forecast is for the temperatures to remain cold for the remainder of today and into tomorrow, with temperatures predicted to drop as low as -3C overnight in Suffolk and Essex.

The Met Office has issued a yellow warning for East Anglia, which is the third most serious alert.

“Prolonged periods of cold weather can be dangerous, especially for the very young, very old or those with chronic disease,” a Met Office spokesman said.

By mid-week, Mr Holley said freezing fog could be a problem for motorists, particularly in north Suffolk where it is expected to be slow to clear.

Suffolk police have urged motorists to take extra care on the roads after attending a number of minor collisions across the county this morning.

New Year’s Day is expected to offer some respite from the cold snap, with milder temperatures reaching the low double figures during the day, and continuing until the weekend.