BOOKMAKERS have slashed the odds for a white Christmas in Gwent as forecasters say it could be the coldest winter in eight years.

After recent mild winters, this winter is poised to be slightly colder than average, The Weather Company said.

The last widespread white Christmas across the UK was in 2010, although, according to the Met Office just one snowflake seen falling at one of the reporting stations across the country counts as a White Christmas.

This year Britain faces -10 degree Arctic influxes bringing snow, ice and travel disruption in the run-up to Christmas, forecasters said.

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It will be the coldest winter since 2012-13 if the UK average temperature is just 0.2 degrees below normal, at 3.5 degrees or lower, Met Office records show.

The Met Office has warned of below-average temperatures in December and a higher chance of winter cold spells than recent years.

It comes as popular bookmakers have cut the odds on snow falling in the UK on Christmas Day.

The odds for a Gwent white Christmas - snow falling on Christmas Day - are 8/1 according to bookmakers Paddy Power.

A spokesman Paddy Power said: “One way to top off an utterly bizarre, unpredictable year, would be to snowed in on Christmas Day, although it might make the festive lockdown a little more interesting, because I am quite the speed demon when it comes to sledging.”

Ladbrokes now make it just 5/4 for a white Christmas, having been 6/4 earlier this month, with Edinburgh and Newcastle the most likely cities to see snow at 3/1.

Of course, we have had heavy snow in the region during some cold winters - 1947, 1963 and 1982 and also more recently in 2017 and 2018 - only just not on Christmas Day.