Extraordinary pictures have emerged showing how cold weather caused the sea to freeze in North Devon.
The photos were taken in Westward Ho!, a picturesque coastal village whose name derives from the Victorian novel by Charles Kingsley.
The village's seafront is one of North Devon's most popular swimming and surfing spots.
Devon Live reporter Becky Dickinson took the photos as she went for a walk this morning, in a week that has seen temperatures plunge to as low as -4C in the region.
Ocean water freezes just like freshwater, but at lower temperatures. Sea ice is frozen seawater that floats on the surface of the ocean, explains the Met Office.
Sea ice consists of blocks of frozen seawater known as "floes", which are always in motion and pushed along by winds and ocean currents.
It floes range in size between 10 m and 5 km wide and are of the order of 0.5 to 5 m thick.
Devon has been gripped by freezing conditions this week, with schools closing and widespread disruption on the road networks.
There is likely to be frost and freezing fog tonight as temperatures plummet to -6C.
Heavy snow has also disrupted travel and led to school closures in Scotland.
Much of mainland Scotland is covered by a Met Office yellow warning for snow and ice, while an amber alert for snow in the central belt expired at midday on Friday.
Police Scotland has issued a travel warning for the whole of Scotland advising people to travel with caution, with snowy conditions affecting many roads.
Air passengers were also affected as the runway at Glasgow Airport was closed during the morning while snow and ice was cleared. It reopened at around 11.30am.
Many schools around the country were shut due to the weather, including some in Aberdeenshire, the Highlands and Perth and Kinross.
In Shetland, engineers have been working to reconnect thousands of homes which lost power on Monday afternoon as heavy snow brought down lines.
Traffic Scotland said on Friday morning that snow was affecting many major trunk roads and urged people to drive with care.
UK 5 day weather forecast
This Evening and Tonight:
Occasional rain and hill snow, affecting some northern and western parts, bringing an ice risk, most widespread where snow fell earlier in Scotland. Dry with clear spells further southeast and northeast, allowing another sharp frost and isolated freezing fog patches.
Saturday:
Further showery rain affecting northern and western parts, sleet on hills. Sunny spells in the south and east. Temperatures recovering slightly but still feeling cold, with widespread frost Saturday night.
Outlook for Sunday to Tuesday:
Rain, accompanied by strong winds, and preceded by snow and some icy conditions, moving northeast through Sunday, with milder conditions following. Remaining unsettled into the next week.
