0:00:00 > 0:00:00incident and the military are being called into help.
0:00:00 > 0:00:01That's all from us - now the news where you are.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Good evening and welcome to BBC London News,
0:00:16 > 0:00:18with me, Louisa Preston.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Following the death of a man who fell through ice
0:00:20 > 0:00:23in a park yesterday, the London Fire Brigade's chief fire
0:00:23 > 0:00:27officer is warning people not to venture onto frozen water.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29The emergency services in the capital have been
0:00:29 > 0:00:32responding to an increase in weather-related call-outs.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35One London hospital was forced to cancel some routine operations
0:00:35 > 0:00:39as the freezing conditions continue for a third day.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44Victoria Hollins reports.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46You can hear the ice cracking.
0:00:46 > 0:00:51It's not thick, but enough to leave a small dog stranded.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Firefighters wearing dry suits rescued her in Greenhill Gardens
0:00:54 > 0:00:57in Barnet and returned her safely to her owners.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01But elsewhere, the ice and cold had more tragic consequences.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04In Danson Park in Bexleyheath, a man in his 60s died after falling
0:01:04 > 0:01:08through ice on a pond yesterday.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11The emergency services were called just before 4pm.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15The man, it's believed, just fell into the pond here.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19He was rescued by another park user, by a member of the public, before
0:01:19 > 0:01:21the emergency services arrived.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25He was taken to hospital but died a short time later.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27The circumstances are still being investigated,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30but it's the sort of tragedy that London Fire Brigade
0:01:30 > 0:01:32is really worried about.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Please do not go near frozen water.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Even if it looks like it's safe to walk on, you've got no idea
0:01:37 > 0:01:38how thick the ice is.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41People are falling in and the shock factor can kill people very quickly.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44So, we're absolutely urging people to stay away from any water.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46Cold weather brings other challenges for those keeping
0:01:46 > 0:01:48the emergency services going.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49Very technical.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52All ready to go.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Bob is doing everything he can to keep things going outside
0:01:55 > 0:01:58at St George's Hospital in Tooting.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02He's got through the entire winter supply of salt in just four days.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06It's my 29th year now and I've never seen it like this before.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08I've looked after the grounds and gardens in all that time
0:02:08 > 0:02:10and we've always looked after the de-icing and
0:02:10 > 0:02:12clearing up of the roads.
0:02:12 > 0:02:14But it's never been as bad as this.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16It's just been constant, constant, constant.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20When I came in on Tuesday, it was minus 12.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23How's it going?
0:02:23 > 0:02:25It looks OK at the moment.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Dr Phil Ross helps keep things going inside the hospital.
0:02:29 > 0:02:31He's in charge of the emergency department at St George's.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34There's an increase in heart attacks and strokes during cold weather,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37but it brings other problems, too.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40We find that we get an increase in injuries,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42because people slip over on the snow, the ice.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45People on bicycles come off them.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Cycling in snow is never a good idea, from our perspective.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51And coupled with that, it is extremely cold,
0:02:51 > 0:02:56so we are seeing patients who come in hypothermic who need rewarming
0:02:56 > 0:02:58and become incredibly ill because of this.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01At other hospitals including Barts, some routine operations have
0:03:01 > 0:03:03had to be cancelled.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05But from the staff on the children's ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital
0:03:05 > 0:03:09staying overnight, to the paramedics still on their bikes,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11the emergency services are overcoming the challenges
0:03:11 > 0:03:16the weather brings.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Surrey was one of the worst hit places in our area.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22180 schools were closed in the county because of
0:03:22 > 0:03:24the freezing weather.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26But despite the difficult conditions, carers were out in force
0:03:26 > 0:03:29bringing much needed help and support to the elderly
0:03:29 > 0:03:30and vulnerable.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34From Surrey, Gareth Furby sent this report.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36We're on the back roads in Surrey.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40The places gritters don't often visit.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43And the task for Charlotte is to get through safely.
0:03:43 > 0:03:49There are people, vulnerable people, sometimes very poorly, elderly,
0:03:49 > 0:03:52that are depending on us to get to them.
0:03:52 > 0:03:57It's care provided 365 days a year and no weather,
0:03:57 > 0:04:01no matter how extreme, will stop it.
0:04:01 > 0:04:02They're very small residential roads.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05There's no grit, so we're getting a bit icy, now.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08To be honest, I haven't experienced these weather conditions before.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I've actually borrowed my son's wellies.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Hopefully they will do the job.
0:04:14 > 0:04:22Hello, my love, we're here.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24And delighted that Charlotte's made the effort is Cynthia,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27who's 88 years old.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28We will make you all lovely.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Oh, dear.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32And you will be the delight of Cobham.
0:04:32 > 0:04:33Really?
0:04:33 > 0:04:35Yes, absolutely.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38I couldn't manage without somebody coming in, a carer.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40I couldn't manage...
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Undressing and dressing, for example.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47I do need that help.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51With Charlotte continuing on her rounds, we headed off
0:04:51 > 0:04:55through Surrey and the roads seemed a lot emptier than usual as people
0:04:55 > 0:05:00stayed in and schools were closed.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03One of them, Reigate Grammar, had early warning of this weather
0:05:03 > 0:05:08because of a forecast made using the school's weather station.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12It was over a week ago that I e-mailed all the staff
0:05:12 > 0:05:14and on the basis of what we had learned from our weather club
0:05:14 > 0:05:17we started to think this is a good possibility
0:05:17 > 0:05:20that we would get some snow.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23I must admit, I have a soft spot for a snow day,
0:05:23 > 0:05:26to give the students a chance to have some fun in the snow,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28to make some memories, to create some lifetime
0:05:28 > 0:05:30moments of fun.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34But for care workers like Charlotte, the job must go on.
0:05:34 > 0:05:42For the sake of those who can't manage without her.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45A woman who bludgeoned her husband to death has won a bid
0:05:45 > 0:05:47to challenge her conviction at the Court of Appeal.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49Sally Challen is serving an 18-year prison sentence
0:05:49 > 0:05:52after killing her husband with a hammer.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Her lawyers say she was the victim of a form of domestic violence known
0:05:56 > 0:05:59as coercive control.
0:05:59 > 0:06:02Former mayor Boris Johnson was back at City Hall today, for a grilling
0:06:02 > 0:06:05by the London Assembly over his role in the failed Garden Bridge project.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10The Foreign Secretary denied wasting taxpayers' money on the project,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13which would have seen hundreds of trees and plants on a crossing
0:06:13 > 0:06:14over the River Thames in central London.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18Some £37 million was spent on the the project, before the plans
0:06:18 > 0:06:24were rejected by the current London Mayor, Sadiq Khan.
0:06:24 > 0:06:25That's not true.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28Not a single penny of tax payers' money has been wasted.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Not a single penny.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32You listen to me.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Not a signal penny of tax payers' money has been wasted by me.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37It's been wasted by the current Mayor of London,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40who cancelled the project.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Now, as we've seen, the snow and cold weather has been causing
0:06:43 > 0:06:46disruption in the capital, but many have been enjoying it.
0:06:46 > 0:06:51Today, the Team GB snowboarder Aimee Fuller, who crashed out
0:06:51 > 0:06:53of the Winter Olympics only a few weeks ago, today was back
0:06:53 > 0:06:56on the snow - but this time closer to home,
0:06:56 > 0:06:57on Primrose Hill.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00We caught up with her there.
0:07:00 > 0:07:08Two, three, keep going, keep going, keep going, and release.
0:07:08 > 0:07:14MUSIC
0:07:14 > 0:07:16I'm positively surprised at the gradient and speed that
0:07:16 > 0:07:26you can pick up on Primrose Hill.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Go, guys.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30I love it.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Imagination.
0:07:32 > 0:07:40Imagination at its finest.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43The best thing about the snow in London is the inspiration
0:07:43 > 0:07:45and creativity we have seen from just about everybody
0:07:45 > 0:07:49that is on this hill today.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Yeah!
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Lots of fun being had in Primrose Hill, but let's find out
0:07:55 > 0:07:58how much longer this cold weather is going to be around for.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00Darren Bett is here.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02In weather terms it's the first day of Spring today.
0:08:02 > 0:08:03It definitely doesn't feel like it.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12The first day of spring, would you believe it. It's incredible, isn't
0:08:12 > 0:08:17it? It could actually be the coldest March day on record today and it's
0:08:17 > 0:08:20got colder and colder as the week goes on and that's due to the Beast
0:08:20 > 0:08:24from the East and that's really an easterly wind that comes all away
0:08:24 > 0:08:27from Siberia. Over the past few days we've seen that wind picking up,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31which brings with significant wind-chill and now it's combining of
0:08:31 > 0:08:35course with Storm and that's coming up from Portugal and brought wet and
0:08:35 > 0:08:45windy weather there. The, nation of those two things which is the reason
0:08:45 > 0:08:47we've recently seen snow up the Arsenal game earlier this evening.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50It's extremely cold, we've had a bit of snow, but not as much as other
0:08:50 > 0:08:54parts of the country. Why is that? We are further away from the storm
0:08:54 > 0:08:57and the moister air, which gives the car snow flakes which are more
0:08:57 > 0:09:00likely to settle, has been further north across the UK, so it's been
0:09:00 > 0:09:08what I'd call snizzle, accommodation of snow and drizzle, that finds no,
0:09:08 > 0:09:12but the amber warning has been extended towards parts of Surrey and
0:09:12 > 0:09:15Berkshire.We'd like to show you some pictures of the cold weather
0:09:15 > 0:09:20which is difficult to cope with for some, but take a look at these.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25Extremely brave swimmers didn't let temperatures of -3 put them off a
0:09:25 > 0:09:32bit of a dip! This lido saw an increase in visitors as the snow
0:09:32 > 0:09:36fell! Very brave people indeed. I'll say
0:09:36 > 0:09:40good night and hand you over to Darren for a full forecast.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44You wouldn't catch me doing that! Lets look at the amber warning from
0:09:44 > 0:09:48the Met Office. It's extended towards Surrey and Berkshire, we
0:09:48 > 0:09:52have some snow around through the latter part of this evening and for
0:09:52 > 0:09:55a while overnight. It tends to move away as the night goes on, but we're
0:09:55 > 0:10:00left with a lot of cloud actually. There won't be too much snow for
0:10:00 > 0:10:03many of us and temperatures shouldn't get too low because we
0:10:03 > 0:10:06have the easterly wind as well. But there's more snow to come tomorrow
0:10:06 > 0:10:09and after a dry start, perhaps not too bad for the morning rush hour,
0:10:09 > 0:10:13we are looking at this spell of snow, mostly light snow, pushing up
0:10:13 > 0:10:16from the south through the day. It will be around for the evening rush
0:10:16 > 0:10:21hour and it will be cold again, temperatures struggling to get above
0:10:21 > 0:10:24freezing. Add on the strength of the wind and temperatures will be much
0:10:24 > 0:10:28lower or feel more like -9 for example a in Luton. Some snow to
0:10:28 > 0:10:35come and some uncertainty about how much snow there will be and what
0:10:35 > 0:10:38impact it will have. It's moving up from the south, which means it will
0:10:38 > 0:10:40head northwards tomorrow evening and tomorrow night and it should tend to
0:10:40 > 0:10:44clear away. We may get some breaks in the cloud coming in from the
0:10:44 > 0:10:49south. Once that happens this is actually less cold air. That takes
0:10:49 > 0:10:52us nicely onto the outlook, where there are some significant changes
0:10:52 > 0:10:56on the way. What you will notice first of all is that temperatures
0:10:56 > 0:10:59will be rising over the coming few days, even through the weekend,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02because we're losing the easterly wind. We