WEATHERMEN today warned the bitterly cold snap in East Lancashire is set to continue - as power bosses braced themselves for electricity cuts.

Freezing temperatures are expected to last for most of the week and road conditions are expected to be treacherous.

And officials at the National Grid today warned they may not be able to meet demand for electricity.

At one point over the weekend British Gas had to stop supplying power stations to deal with demand from domestic customers and record demand for electricity was reported.

A spokesman for Norweb today echoed the fears of potential cuts today and said the company was drawing up contingency plans which it hoped to announce details of later.

Although weathermen believe it is unlikely there will be heavy snowfalls again this week they are warning the freezing weather will continue.

"It will stay dry in East Lancashire for most of the week but there will be snow flurries and it will stay very cold," said a spokesman for the Met Office.

"It will be particularly frosty over high ground and roads will continue to be dangerous."

Temperatures are unlikely to creep above freezing for several days and strong winds will make it feel much colder.

Motoring organisations warned of more chaos on the roads with thaw followed by freeze turning roads into ice rinks.

And the AA and RAC are being deluged with calls for assistance from stranded motorists.

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