TEMPERATURES as low as minus six degrees Celsius is set to hit Herefordshire in the next few days as an Artic blast of cold air arrives.

There is now an amber cold weather alert that has been issued by the UK Heath Security Agency (UKHSA) and Met Office, which is in place until midday on Friday (January 19) and covers the whole of England. 

This means that cold weather impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service for an extended period of time, with potential for the whole population to be at risk and where other sectors may also start to observe impacts, indicating a coordinated response is required.

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Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said: "The temperatures we will see can rapidly have a serious impact on the health of those over the age of 65 and those with pre-existing health conditions as it increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and chest infections.

"It is therefore vital to check in on friends, family and neighbours to ensure they are well prepared for the cold weather."

The weather will be especially cold tomorrow (Wednesday) when the mercury will struggle to go above 2C. According to the BBC, it could get as low as -6C into Thursday (January 18) morning.

The cold snap will continue into Friday (January 19) when the overnight low will be about -5C.

However, by the weekend, the temperatures will rapidly rise as it becomes cloudier with spells of rain. Amazingly, by next Tuesday it could be as high as 14C.