The rescue focused on 120 vehicles trapped on the Glenshane Pass.

Heavy snow and winds have caused major disruption to some parts of the UK, with 48,000 homes in Northern Ireland and 15,000 in Scotland without power.

The Met Office has issued extreme weather warnings for both Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Forecasters predict heavy snowfall and severe blizzards through the morning.

Snow could also affect high parts of England and Wales, the Met Office said.

Treacherous conditions

BBC weather forecaster Laura Tobin said Scotland was likely to see the worst of the weather during the morning.

"North-east Scotland will see persistent heavy snow and gales," she said.

She added that although snow was forecast to move away from Northern Ireland, freezing temperatures would make driving conditions treacherous.

Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cumbria and the Welsh mountains are also likely to experience snowfall during the day.

Ch Insp Steven Cargin, of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, said the Glenshane Pass rescue operation had involved police, mountain rescue and coastguard workers.

Motorists were taken to Dungiven Leisure Centre, in Derry, only for a power failure to strike, forcing them to relocate to nearby Limavady and Maghera.

Police said no-one had been injured in the operation, although nine people had refused to leave their vehicles.

Northern Ireland Electricity said late on Tuesday that widespread damage had been caused by the weather, especially in Omagh, Enniskillen, Dungannon, Londonderry, Coleraine and Ballymena.

Problems were caused by snow and ice sticking to power lines which were then being blown over, causing 250 individual faults.

Police said driving conditions across Northern Ireland were "treacherous" and advised motorists to slow down.

Flood warnings

Scottish Power said electricity had been cut to about 22,000 homes in Scotland at one point on Tuesday.

Scottish Hydro Electric said about 100 customers in the north east, Tayside and Argyll were without power.

Snow was disrupting travel across the Grampian region with the A96 closed between Huntly and Colpy while motorists were warned to avoid the A90 between Stonehaven and Laurencekirk.

Vehicles were stuck in various places in Aberdeenshire overnight. The A9 was closed at Drumochter in the Highlands.

Some roads were difficult or impassable in the borders and in central Edinburgh two men had a lucky escape after a tree fell on their car.

The East Coast Main Line has been closed between Edinburgh and Berwick-Upon-Tweed after flooding and two landslips.

Some services are being diverted via Carlisle while Network Rail works to re-open the line.

The Met Office said conditions would worsen in parts of the Highlands and an area stretching from the north-east down through central Scotland and into Edinburgh, the Lothians and the Borders on Tuesday evening, with heavy snow falling through the night.

Strong to gale force winds are also expected to lead to widespread blizzard conditions in the west.

Meanwhile, police in Northumberland urged motorists to be careful on the roads because of poor visibility and heavy rainfall.

Flood warnings issued by the Environment Agency included Waren Burn at Waren Mill and Wansbeck at Morpeth.

There were also warnings along the north-east coast of England.

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