Deal, Kent
A woman in her 20s was found dead in the snow in the coastal town of Deal, Kent (Paul Barlow/Twitter)

The body of a woman thought to be in her 20s has been discovered by a dog walker in Kent.

The woman was found in Deal at 7.30am on Sunday having collapsed in the snow, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A police spokesman said: "The woman's death is not being treated as suspicious but it is unexplained. A post-mortem examination will be held later this week."

However it has been confirmed that the body is not that of Gemma Bates, who went missing on 16 January from Deal.

Bates, 31, was reported missing last week and police say they are concerned for her welfare.

She is described as white, 5ft 11, medium build with shoulder-length brown hair. She was wearing dark blue jeans, a black coat and glasses.

Bates also has several visible tattoos including stars on her right wrist and a ring on the middle finger of her left hand.

The unknown woman's death follows a host of accidents caused by the snow that has engulfed most of the UK.

Freezing conditions to continue

A 59-year-old driver from Colchester was killed on the A12 between Kelvedon and Marks Tey in Essex yesterday evening, after his car came off the road and hit a tree.

A 16-year-old boy also suffered life-threatening injuries after a sledging accident in Middlesbrough.

A Great North Air Ambulance spokesman said: "He was given an anaesthetic at scene before being transported to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough in a critical condition."

The Met Office yesterday warned that freezing conditions will continue across England for the next few days: "Daytime temperatures will continue to struggle to rise above freezing in many areas with widespread overnight frosts and ice.

"Further snow is expected too, particularly in eastern areas on Sunday and Monday. Sleet and snow is possible again across some areas on Tuesday."

Many parts of Scotland have been issued with an amber weather warning, meaning people should be prepared for severe weather conditions. Higher parts of eastern Scotland could see up to 20cm of snow with blizzard conditions.

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