A&E feels heat of big freeze

HUNDREDS more patients were admitted to casualty wards in the last week because of the freezing weather.

Figures released by NHS Lothian show that in the week up to 4 January, 2,730 people were taken to accident and emergency.

This compares to 2,321 in the same week last year, with health chiefs saying the increased snow and ice, as well as plummeting temperatures, have played a major part.