When Britain woke up on the first day of the year it was met with freezing temperatures, snow and the promise of travel chaos.And now, three days into 2010, forecasters have warned the country to expect continued snowfall for the next ten days - bringing with it added stress for commuters heading back to work after the festive break and children returning to school.
Yet Britain is not along in struggling to cope with the difficult weather conditions.
SWISS ALPS
Four people were killed and three more are feared dead after two avalanches struck at the same Swiss resort just minutes apart.
Britons were among hundreds of skiers at Diemtig Valley, about 25 miles south of the capital Bern, when the first massive snowslide was triggered on Sunday.
As an Alpine search team arrived to free one man buried under tons of snow, a second avalanche hit the slope 20 minutes later burying several rescuers and more skiers.
A second team from the Swiss Air Rescue Service then raced to the scene at the 8,000ft off-piste Drumannler peak to begin the hunt for survivors. One person was found dead at the scene, while three more died later in hospital, including one rescue service doctor.
Five others were injured, and three more are still missing in what police said was one of the worst avalanche disasters in Switzerland for ten years. One of those pulled alive from the snow is said to be a Briton, who has not yet been named.
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