THE MET Office is forecasting subzero temperatures tonight, with a yellow warning of ice in place across West Devon and the Tamar Valley.

After a bitter day, tonight is forecast to be bitterly cold with temperatures forecast to drop to -3C in Tavistock by the early hours of tomorrow morning.

In Okehampton, likewise, the temperatures will drop to -3C in the small hours and remain so until daybreak.

Tomorrow, Friday, will be sunny, but bitterly cold, with maximum temperatures of 4C.

The Met Office has imposed a Yellow Weather Warning of ice for the far west of the country, including the whole of Cornwall and north and west Devon. This will remain in place until 12 noon on Saturday.

Gritters will cover 2,000 miles of Devon’s roads today, salting the main routes people use to get to work and school and hospitals.

In more isolated villages and back lanes, volunteer snow wardens are ready to spread salt on roads.

Meanwhile in Cornwall, Cornwall Council highways company Cormac are on 24 hour standby, using information from 22 road sensors as well as weather forecasts to decide where to grit.