(The Sun) – The River Thames has frozen over for the first time in 60 years as the Beast from the East 2 blasts Britain. The “extreme freeze” has sent temperatures tumbling with more heavy snow on the way.

Temperatures in London dropped to -2C as Storm Darcy – dubbed The Beast from the East 2 – batters Britain with a sub-zero cold snap. As a result of the bitter chill from the Baltic, a huge section of the Thames froze over at Teddington, South West London on Thursday.

The last time the river completely froze over was in January 1963 which saw the coldest winter for more than 200 years. It brought blizzards, snowdrifts, and temperatures of -20C and even saw some parts of the sea freeze over. The UK experienced the coldest February night for 25 years on Wednesday, with temperatures falling to below -20C in some areas.

Braemar, Scotland, saw the mercury fall to -23C in the early hours – the coldest temperature recorded in the UK since the -27C which hit Altnaharra in Scotland in December 1995. A video taken in the village of Boat of Garten, near to Braemar, showed a cup of hot water instantly turning to ice when thrown into the air. READ MORE