Monster waves battered Seaham harbour in Durham on Wednesday in dramatic pictures that anticipate the freezing and icy conditions Britons are set to wake up to over the next couple of days.
Dramatic pictures of Seaham Harbour on Wednesday
Herculean swells saw giant waves crash across the seafront, with gale force winds whipping up a torrent of foam. The size of the waves is witnessed as the tower over the iconic lighthouse at the end of the pier.
These spectacular pictures could be a 19th century painting
The seaside town's history dates back as far as Saxon times, and the historic harbour was hewn from the cliffs in order to transport coal from neighbouring mines.
The weather is expected to worsen on Thursday
Yellow weather warnings are in place for much of the UK on Thursday, with the east of Britain and central Scotland expected to see snow. Temperatures will struggle to make it over 1 or 2C even in the south of England.
However it will be dry and bright on Friday and the next few days will bring some respite from recent rain, wind and snow, with just light flurries in the mountains, and temperatures of between three degrees and six degrees expected for most of the country.