New weather maps show a band of snowwill engulf the UK in the run up to Christmas - with some areas likely to see 8 inches of snowfall.

The map, which was created byWXCharts, shows an enormous weather front looming over Scotland, northern and eastern England and parts of Wales on December 13. A second WXCharts temperature map shows that parts of Scotland will shiver in -5C temperatures, with 0C forecast in Newcastle and 3C in London and the south east of England on December 14.

As much as 8 inches of snow could fall in some of the worst-hit areas around the Scottish Borders, while northwest England, coastal areas of Wales and much of Northern Ireland will also be in for significant accumulations. There will be a few areas that escape the falling flakes however - including Yorkshire, East Anglia, the Midlands and southeast England. Rain is also forecast in the southwest.