A 25-year-old woman found collapsed in the snow could have died after falling in sub-zero temperatures after a night out, Kent police said.

A man also died following a crash in snowy conditions on the A12 near Kelvedon in Essex about 7pm on Sunday.

The woman was discovered by a man walking his dog in Church Meadows in Deal at 7.30am on Sunday morning.

Police are still investigating the cause of death but confirmed they are looking at the possibility that the woman, who was believed to be visiting the area, got into difficulties as she made her way to her sister’s house, which was near to where she was found.

A police spokesman said: “There are other possibilities we are looking out but one theory is that this is a tragic accident where a young woman was on her way home from a night out, but she didn’t make it to where she was staying.

“We don’t know if that was because of the cold, or she slipped or she was drunk or she became ill.”

Earlier, police said the woman was pronounced dead at the scene and the death was not being treated as suspicious but it was unexplained.

A post-mortem examination will be held later this week.

The man killed in the car crash was a 59-year-old from the Colchester area, police said. He died at the scene.

His passenger, a 57-year-old woman, also from the Colchester area, was taken to hospital with serious but not life-threatening injuries.

Police said that the car had left the road and crashed into a tree on the embankment.

In Kent, a man was taken to hospital with broken bones in his face when he was racially attacked after confronting a group of youngsters throwing snowballs at him.

And a teenager was left fighting for his life after suffering head injuries in a sledging accident in Middlesbrough.

Also, a young woman who was seriously hurt in an avalanche that killed four of her friends in the Scottish Highlands remains in a critical condition in hospital.

The freezing temperatures and icy conditions are once again causing delays and disruption, with more than 1,500 schools shut and motorists being urged to take extra time and care on roads.

As much as 10 to 20cm (four to eight inches) of snow is expected across Scotlandand northern England, prompting the Met Office to issue amber warnings which urge the public to be prepared.

Yellow warnings – which advise people to take extra care – continue for parts of the north, east and southeast England as well as Northern Ireland, where up to five centimetres (around two inches) of snow could fall.

“Today’s snowiest areas will be northeast England and eastern Scotland,” said weather presenter Isobel Lang.

“Although sleety on the east coast, it will be snow inland where 10 to 20cm is forecast. Drifting snow, poor visibility and blizzard conditions are likely over higher routes.

“The snow will continue in the northeast tonight and into Tuesday although it should turn drier across northeast England.

“Later tonight and during Tuesday morning the weather is set to deteriorate across the southwest with the potential for some heavy snow across South Wales and parts of southwest England.”

The temperatures will not start rising until the weekend, said Lang.

“Until then there will be further problems with ice and snow and daytime temperatures will continue to struggle to climb much above freezing,” she said.

“Wednesday and Thursday look largely dry and cold with ice and patchy fog.

“Friday should see a slow change spread eastwards and westerly winds bring a rise in temperature later and a slow thaw.”

On the roads, there are lane closures on motorways up and down the country, with hazardous driving conditions on the M4 at Bristol.

Heavy snowfall has closed two major roads across the Pennines, the A628 Woodhead Pass and the A66 between Brough and Bowes.

The Highways Agency said both routes would be closed for some hours and advised drivers to find alternative routes across the Pennines.

Heavy falls in the North East made for a tricky morning commute for many. Northumbria Police said the A68 in Northumberland was blocked, with problems at its junction with the A69.

Drivers were advised to avoid the B6341 at Rothbury and reported a four-vehicle collision on the Spine Road at Cramlington, next to the 3 Horse Shoes roundabout.

Officers also said the A1 in the Newcastle area suffered traffic congestion.

There is also another day of snow and ice-related delays and cancellations on the country’s rail network.

Virgin Trains warned of some cancellations in its services between London andBirmingham and the North West, while services into London King’s Cross were also affected.

Eurostar said snow and ice in the UK and northern France were leading to speed restrictions and delays on all its trains. Six services were also cancelled, with customers told they could exchange their tickets for another date.

South West Trains said it was running a revised timetable throughout its network because of the weather, and would be concentrating on its mainline services.

The company said there would be no services between Ascot in Berkshire and Ash Vale in Surrey, between Virginia Water and Weybridge, or from Salisburyto Bristol. It was also running revised timetables on other routes.

Southern said trains were unable to operate between Lewes and Haywards Heathin Sussex or between Horsham and Dorking or Reigate and Redhill in Surrey. The Southern service between South Croydon and Milton Keynes was also suspended.

At Heathrow Airport planes are due to be grounded for a fourth day and passengers are advised to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport. More than 160 flights have been cancelled – about 10% of the day’s capacity.

Flights have also been suspended at Leeds Bradford, Doncaster Sheffield,Norwich airports and East Midlands airports.

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