In pictures: Aftermath of UK snow

Aerial footage of the Isle of Arran — Image caption,
Snow and gales blasted the west coast of Scotland at the end of last week, damaging power lines and plunging 18,000 homes and businesses into darkness. The Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde suffered a complete blackout.

Power lines collapsed with the weight of the snow and engineers are still struggling to reconnect thousands of homes.

However, there have still been some rare sights of spring. This one, in Dumfries and Galloway, was captured by Rebecca Rumble.

A runner makes his way up a cleared road flanked by deep snow in Burnley, Lancashire, on 25 March 2013

This was the scene in Burnley, Lancashire. Forecasters say there will not be as much snow this week, but more of the same bitterly cold temperatures.

Sheep farmer James McHenry with his lambing shed, which collapsed with the weight of snow over the weekend, killing sheep and lambs at his farm in the Glens of Antrim, Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland is among the worst affected areas, with many rural routes impassable. Farmers have battled to keep livestock alive but sheep farmer James McHenry lost sheep and lambs when a shed collapsed with the weight of the snow.

People walk through heavy snow as wintry weather continues to cause havoc across the United Kingdom, in north Belfast, on 25 March 2013

And it not just remote rural areas that are facing treacherous conditions. This is a street in north Belfast.

A man uses a shovel to clear snow from his car in Llangollen, north Wales, on 25 March 2013

Although the situation has improved in Wales, many roads remain closed. About 6,000 homes lost power and hundreds of schools were closed at the peak of the snow disruption on Friday.

Picture of a snow drift in Staffordshire

The size of the snow drifts have astounded some people. Sandra Kaine, who lives just outside Hilderstone in Staffordshire, said some had reached 12ft.