Motorist in Scotland caught driving with porthole in snow-covered windscreen

Driver faces charge of dangerous driving as temperatures hit record low

In the village of Braemar a low of -22.9C was recorded overnight by the Met Office, as forecasters believe it to be the coldest night since 1995. Getty Images

Icicles hang from the roof of a shop in Braemar. Getty Images

A river is frozen over in Braemar. Getty Images

People walk along a snow covered lane in Braemar. Getty Images

A snow plough clears snow from a road in Braemar. Getty Images

People walk past a building that has been snowed in. Getty Images

A car sits trapped by snow in a driveway. Getty Images

A man walks his dog through Braemar. Getty Images

A woman walks past a Tea Shop with icicles hanging from the roof. Getty Images

Residents stand outside a house which has been snowed in. Getty Images

Record cold temperatures hit Scotland and people were told to stay in their homes for safety, because of the coronavirus lockdown and the simple comfort of not being outside.

But one driver in Dundee decided to throw that advice – and common sense – out the window.

It was too cold for him to spend time scraping off his car windows, so he thought a porthole in the ice on the windscreen would suffice.

The back window wasn't been cleared at all but the side glass was – perhaps because window winders mean you do not have to touch the ice to remove it.

It was, of course, not long before he attracted the attention of the police. And Dundee's finest were less than impressed.

“The driver has been charged with dangerous driving," Tayside police tweeted. "We know it’s inconvenient having to clear your car before you drive, but it must  be done.”

Braemar, about 88 kilometres from Dundee, recorded a record minus 23°C overnight into Thursday.

The Met Office has a snow and ice warning in place for large parts of the UK until Friday.

For Friday and the weekend, the weather is expected to become “quite hazardous” as cloud and rain, coupled with extremely cold air, brings further risk of snow and “perhaps even of freezing rain”, the office said.

The National Health Service said that despite the tough conditions, many vaccination centres were open and any missed appointments would be rescheduled.

Several councils in England, including Rugby Borough Council and Southwark Council in London, were forced to suspend rubbish collection services because of the weather conditions.

Thurrock Council in Essex said more than 100 workers, mostly from street cleaning and waste collection teams, were diverted from regular duties to help clear snow from footpaths and routes to medical centres.