It IS a White Christmas! Snow falls on December 25 for the first time in three years as swimmers brave icy waters for a festive dip after widespread flooding saw people evacuated from homes

Early morning snowfall has been recorded in parts of the UK, with the Met Office declaring it a white Christmas for the first time in three years.

Reports of snow had come in from Leconfield in Humberside and Wattisham in Suffolk as of 5am on Christmas morning.

Photos also showed snow on the ground in Hessle, East Yorkshire, while families enjoyed themselves after a dusting in Hexham, Northumberland.

Christmas Day was clear and dry for most, but showers in eastern areas of England brought some sleet and snow in the morning.

It comes amid widespread flooding around the country with people rescued from vehicles and others evacuated from their homes following a period of heavy rain.

The arrival of Storm Bella on Boxing Day will bring further downpours and winds of up to 60-70mph in exposed coastal locations where an Amber national severe weather warning has been issued.

A Yellow warning for wind for the whole of England and Wales as well as the far south of Scotland has also been issued.

The last official white Christmas - defined as if a single snowflake falls during the 24 hours of Christmas Day, anywhere in the UK - was in 2017, when 11 per cent of weather stations recorded snow falling.

Despite this morning's cold weather in many places - with temperatures below freezing in parts of the south of England and Scotland - some Britons braved the icy waters in the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park to take part in the traditional Christmas Day swim, while others had a dip in the sea in other parts of the UK.

n the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands, swimmers wore gloves and hats as they swam in an icy lake

Early morning snowfall has been recorded in parts of the UK, with the Met Office declaring it a white Christmas for the first time in three years. Pictured: A family enjoy the snow in Hexham, Northumberland

Christmas messages are written on a frosty car on Christmas morning in Emmer Green, Berkshire

Widespread flooding around the country saw people evacuated from their homes following a period of heavy rain. Ongoing responses in Northampton supported the emergency response

Reports of snow had come in from Leconfield in Humberside and Wattisham in Suffolk as of 5am on Christmas morning. Photos also showed snow on the ground in Hessle , East Yorkshire

The hills over Chapeltown are dusted with snow as Moray, Scotland, is covered in snow

Snow covers houses at Hexham, Northumberland. Early morning snowfall has been recorded in parts of the UK

What counts as a white Christmas?

The Met Office defines a white Christmas as at least one flake of snow falling in a specific location during the 24 hours of December 25.

Snow does not need to settle on the ground.

Traditionally, the Met Office used a single location - its building in London - to define a white Christmas.

But in recent years, sites including Buckingham Palace, Belfast, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff have been included.

The Met Office also looks at data from its observing stations around the UK to get a better idea of where snow has fallen or is lying on Christmas day.

Northamptonshire Police said the emergency services were working through the night to evacuate more than 1,000 people from the Billing Aquadrome holiday park in the county.

The force said the heavy rain had caused flooding with water up to 5ft deep in places.

Northamptonshire Search and Rescue were involved in the evacuations, which included a new mother and a young baby.

Emergency accommodation was sourced for the residents, some of whom showed signs of hypothermia, at hotels and at least two leisure centres.

Police Chief Superintendent Mick Stamper said it was an 'exceptionally challenging situation' and asked residents to leave the site if they could, adding they would be exempt from Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service declared a major incident at the holiday park on Thursday evening, with five crews and four specialist water teams searching 1,100 caravans.

The force previously responded to 250 incidents following heavy rain, deploying crews to pump out properties and stranded vehicles.

Properties in various parts of the country, including East Anglia and Gloucester, were also flooded as there was up to two inches of rainfall in some areas.

In Thorpe End, near Norwich, a couple had to be rescued after freezing floodwater trapped them in their car for two hours.

Footage showed fire crews break the window of a car that was barely visible underneath almost six feet of flood water.

Bystanders called the rescue a 'Christmas miracle' after a woman and a man were pulled out of the car alive at around 10.44am, the BBC reported. One of the car's occupants was believed to be in their 70s.

Norfolk saw almost two inches of rain cause major flash flooding across the south of the county.

Footage showed fire crews break the window of a car that was barely visible underneath almost six feet of flood water in Thorpe End near Norwich

Northamptonshire Police said the emergency services were working through the night to evacuate more than 1,000 people from the Billing Aquadrome holiday park in the county

In Dunsden, Oxfordshire, people were pictured enjoying Christmas morning stroll down a country lane

Others in Dunsden enjoyed a walk through a grassy field beneath mostly clear blue skies - despite the wintry weather elsewhere

Huge crowds turned out for the traditional Christmas Day swimming on the beach today in Brighton, East Sussex

These three women smiled widely as they braved the cold waters whilst only wearing bikinis

These two women posed for a photographer as they stood in the shallow waters in Brighton whilst others enjoyed themselves

These women made sure they looked suitably festive as they prepared to go for a dip in the sea in Brighton

At Longsands Beach in North Tyneside, dozens of people flocked to the sand to enjoy a walk by the sea, as others braved the waves

At Tynemouth Longsands, four runners were dressed in festive clothing as a woman - who was also wearing a Santa hat - walked her dog

Matt and Alex Emmerson, 42 and 44, watched out of their bathroom window as the rescue took place. They had assumed the car would be empty and were shocked when two people were found inside.

Mr Emmerson said: 'Whoever this poor couple were, they were in there for a long time - close to two hours. The water must have been freezing.'

The couple were taken to hospital by ambulance and Norfolk Police is investigating.

Mrs Emmerson said flooding in Thorpe End was a regular occurence during heavy rainfall, but that normally anyone in a submerged car would 'leap out' before the water rises to dangerous levels.

The couple said their area needed permanent signs, rather than temporary ones, to warn drivers of the danger of flooding.

The Met Office tweeted: 'Morning everyone, we've just had official confirmation that this #Christmas is a white one! Leconfield in Humberside reported #snow falling at 5am, and Wattisham in Suffolk also reported recent snow at this time'

The Met Office's Twitter feed showed just how cold it is in some parts of the UK this morning

At the Serpentine, this woman went for a swim whilst wearing a pair of goggles and a cap to keep her hair dry

This woman donned a green Santa hat as she braved the waters in Hyde Park this morning

This man wore a look of festive glee on his face as he emerged from the freezing Serpentine lake this morning

Whilst one woman was seen stepping gingerly into the lake's cold water, her male companion - who looked decidedly chilly - waited to follow her

These two women looked as though they were having a chat to distract themselves from the icy water

This man also wore a Santa hat as he went swimming in the Serpentine in Hyde Park

Video footage taken by the couple showed the moment a firefighter waded into water that came up to his chin.

Mrs Emmerson, while recording the rescue, said: 'He's literally up to his armpits'.

The firefighter could be heard shouting: 'Guys I'm unsure, I don't know if there's anyone in here.'

However, a woman was then seen inside and the fireman smashed the window before pulling her out but she was in a state of shock.

Mr Emmerson said: 'I couldn't see anyone come out of that alive. He was shouting to her to find out if there was anyone else in there and she was in a real state of shock.'

A man was then also found inside and pulled out.

The Met Office said conditions across the UK will turn increasingly unsettled through to December 27, with strong winds and heavy rain moving in from the north.

At Longsands beach in North Tyneside, swimmers braved the cold water early this morning as the sun rose

This family also braved the chilly waves on Christmas morning, as they sought to make the best of things amid coronavirus restrictions

A graphic also showed the weather across the UK this morning, as ice warnings were issued in parts of the country

An amber national severe weather warning has been issued for parts of south Wales and across southern England, with gusts expected to reach up to 60-70mph in exposed coastal locations.

A yellow warning for wind for the whole of England and Wales as well as the far south of Scotland has also been issued and will be in force from 3pm on Boxing Day.

Met Office forecaster Clare Nasire added: 'We are likely to see severe gales, heavy rain and high waves.

'An amber wind warning is in force through Boxing Day night in southern and south-western parts of Wales and southern parts of England.

'We could see gusts of 60 to 80mph. Through Boxing Day, first of all it is the rain we are most concerned about.

'Heavy bouts of rain coming in across western Scotland, a rain warning here, the risk of localised flooding, with the highest rainfall totals over the higher ground.'

Speaking of wind, she added: 'We have got a broad yellow warning anywhere from southern Scotland southwards and again, gusts inland could reach 50mph.

'Along the coast, 60-70mph. An amber warning. In the south, gusts could reach in excess of 70mph. So some dangerous conditions outside.

'You can see the rain relentless, driven in on that strong wind from the south-west through Boxing Day - a really really wet day to come across these parts.

Pictures taken yesterday showed cars driving through flooding in Roath, Cardiff, after heavy rain fell

The fire brigade move through flood waters in Orchard Street, Newport, south Wales, on Thursday, where bins were lifted up and dragged into the street

In Roath, Cardiff, this BMW car was seen with misted windows and a number plate which was hanging off after it became stranded in flood water

'Wet weather extends towards Northern Ireland. The rain then becomes a bit more persistent across northern counties of England later.

'Patchy rain and cloud further south but notice the winds will pick up some strength later on. It is really Boxing Day night where will see the most significant wind strength. They will be damaging.'

Although snow fell in 2017, no weather stations reported it lying on the ground anywhere. This was also the case in 2016, when 6 per cent of stations recorded falling snow. In 2015, 10 per cent of stations saw snow.

The last time Britons saw a widespread white Christmas was in 2010. There was snow on the ground at 83 per cent of weather stations - the highest amount ever recorded.

In 2018 and 2019, no snow was recorded falling at any station in the UK.

On Thursday, Britons in the North of England woke up to heavy snow. Pictured: The scene in Lanehead, County Durham, yesterday

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick. Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o

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