The Swedish weather service says temperatures of minus 39.5°C have been recorded in northern Sweden, the coldest recorded this month.

The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute says it was measured on Thursday in the Swedish town of Nikkaluokta in Lapland, which covers the northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland.

The service added, however, that on average January has been "warmer than normal".

Sweden's news agency TT reported that the coldest temperature ever recorded in Sweden was minus 52.6°C in 1966 in Lapland.

In Britain, officials recorded the coldest night this winter so far, with temperatures dipping to minus 11°C in Scotland.

The cold snap prompted some trains to be cancelled, and Manchester and Liverpool airports were brought to a standstill on Wednesday.