Snow flurries in the city early on Christmas Day -- for the first time since 2004 -- meant an automatic payout to those who took a punt, but the fact Scotland’s three largest cities were all odds on for snow on the 25th will hardly cripple the UK’s betting industry.

Before yesterday, Aberdeen was the most likely place in the UK for snow, with odds of 4/6, and Glasgow and Edinburgh were both placed at 10/11.

While the weather delighted children who were able to sledge and make snowmen in the winter wonderland, bookmakers faced a tense wait through the final few hours of the day.

They must pay out on the bet if a single snowflake falls during the 24 hours of December 25.

More than 15,000 bets were taken at odds of 2/1 on a whiteout in the British capital, and only a single flake was required to fall during the 24 hours of Christmas to trigger a massive payout.

A relieved spokesman for William Hill said: "We have potentially dodged a monster payout but we are still going to be watching Buckingham Palace like a hawk, as just a

flake or two will decide whether we are going to have a festive season or not.

"We still expect to take a hit with snow in Scotland and Northern Ireland but are hopeful that London will miss out."

Temperatures plunged to -15°C in the Highlands overnight yesterday, leaving many roads treacherous.

The ice caused havoc for motorists trying to get home after visiting friends and relatives on the big day.

Part of the A90 was closed near Dundee after light rain, combined with freezing temperatures, turned the road into "a skating rink", Tayside Police said.

A number of accidents were recorded north of the city in the very early hours of the morning. One elderly man died after the car in which he was travelling came off the road in Finavon. The other person in the vehicle suffered serious injuries.

Earlier, the road was sealed off from the northern city limits to Finavon at Brechin after freezing temperatures made conditions too hazardous.

Gritters worked under a police escort to treat the road between approximately 7am

and 8am.

Fresh snow fell on inland areas of Grampian, Central and Tayside, with some sleet or light snow expected in Stirling and Falkirk last night.

Snow showers were also predicted for Glasgow and the surrounding area, with temperatures around -4°C into Boxing Day. Drivers were warned to be careful of freezing fog around the city.

In the Highlands, snow came down in the early hours of yesterday, mainly south-east of the Great Glen, with moderate falls across much of Badenoch and Strathspey.

Weather warnings remained in place across the country last night, and Traffic Scotland had posted alerts of ice on every road in Scotland.

Temperatures plunged to -15°C in the Highlands, and to -5°C in Glasgow.

Edinburgh remained around freezing point, and gritters worked furiously through the day to keep the M8 open. More than 250 tonnes of grit was spread across the road, and no serious accidents were reported over the course of the day.

Conditions are expected to improve in the coming days, with sleet and localised rain showers through today and warmer temperatures of up to 10°C in parts of the country over the weekend.

In England, an eight-car pile up closed the M1 for nearly three hours, and one driver had to be airlifted to hospital with serious but non-fatal injuries.

Police said several other people were hurt in the crash at Long Eaton in Leicestershire.