A cold snap blankets much of the UK in snow on Friday, disrupting transport, closing schools and even causing a World Cup qualifier match to be cancelled.

Power went out for tens of thousands of householders in Britain and 44,000 in Northern Ireland on Saturday.

Conditions are expected to get much worse.

(SOUNDBITE)(English) RICHARD GATLING, A TRAFFIC POLICE OFFICER IN NORTHERN ENGLAND SAYS:

"We're getting this, potentially two, three, maybe even four days of snow that we've got. If that's the case, it's going to get more severe up here and considerably worse."

At the same time, heavy rain flooded parts of the southwest of England.

This house partially collapsed after a landslip, leaving one dead.

This prolonged cold snap has brought up gas rationing for debate, as demand and disruption push the energy grid to its limit.