Weather starts to take toll on Saturday's fixtures
Saturday's Football League action has been decimated as the freezing weather conditions tighten their grip on sport.
Three matches in the Championship have fallen foul of the cold spell and Leagues One and Two have been even harder hit, with only five of the 24 scheduled fixtures surviving inspections today.
Rugby and racing, too, have been badly affected, with no National Hunt racing in Britain set to take place until Tuesday at the earliest.
The Championship basement battle between Sheffield Wednesday and Peterborough is one of the biggest casualties, along with Reading's match at home to league leaders Newcastle, Watford v Sheffield United and Preston v Doncaster.
The pitch at Hillsborough is protected by undersoil heating but areas immediately surrounding the stadium have been covered in a thick blanket of snow, making roads and pavements in the vicinity treacherous.
Wednesday's chief executive, Nick Parker, said: "While we are still two days away from the fixture against Peterborough, the areas surrounding Hillsborough are covered in snow and ice. It is highly unlikely these areas could be cleared to the extent that would allow fans to come to the game and be guaranteed of their safety. Obviously the safety of our supporters is the club's main concern in these circumstances and we would not want to put fans in danger by encouraging them to use icy roads and pavements around Hillsborough."
Preston's match against Doncaster was called off after a lunchtime pitch inspection and earlier the League One matches between Brighton and Brentford, Charlton and Hartlepool and Oldham and Leyton Orient as well as the League Two game between Cheltenham and Hereford were also postponed.
A decision will be made tomorrow on whether Sunderland's Premier League home clash with Bolton on Saturday can go ahead. The city's Safety Advisory Group called an extraordinary meeting today to discuss the implications of the ongoing wintry conditions gripping much of the country.
The group, which comprises representatives of Sunderland City Council, police, ambulance and fire services as well as the club, will meet again tomorrow, with weather forecasts suggesting that conditions will worsen over the weekend.
Group chairman Ken Scott, of Sunderland City Council, said: "It is too soon at this stage to make a definitive decision regarding the status of the match. However another meeting will take place tomorrow after which we will make a further announcement. In the meantime, we will continue to monitor the weather conditions and associated safety issues."
In Scotland the early casualties include the fourth-round Scottish Cup ties between Ayr United and Brechin City, Forfar Athletic and St Johnstone, Raith Rovers and Airdrie United, Morton and Celtic and Kilmarnock and Falkirk.
The ties between Albion Rovers and Stirling Albion, Edinburgh City and Montrose, and Ross County and Inverurie Loco Works were all subject to 1pm pitch inspections this afternoon and failed.
In the Irn-Bru Scottish Second Division match between Cowdenbeath and Arbroath and the Third Division game between Berwick and Stranraer have also been called off.
Matches postponed because of weather
Coca-Cola Championship
Preston v Doncaster
Sheffield Wednesday v Peterborough
Watford v Sheffield United
Reading v Newcastle
League One
Brighton v Brentford
Bristol Rovers v Stockport
Carlisle v Millwall
Charlton v Hartlepool
Gillingham v Tranmere
Milton Keynes Dons v Swindon
Oldham v Leyton Orient
Southampton v Huddersfield
Yeovil v Colchester
League Two
Aldershot v Rochdale
Bury v Darlington
Cheltenham v Hereford
Crewe v Grimsby
Lincoln City v Accrington Stanley
Port Vale v Bradford
Rotherham v Bournemouth
Shrewsbury v Barnet
Torquay v Dagenham & Redbridge
Notts County v Macclesfield
Active Nation Scottish Cup fourth round
Albion Rovers v Stirling Albion
Ayr United v Brechin City
Edinburgh City v Montrose
Forfar Athletic v St Johnstone
Inverness CT v Motherwell
Kilmarnock v Falkirk
Livingston v Dundee
Morton v Celtic
Raith Rovers v Airdrie United
Ross County v Inverurie Loco Works
Irn-Bru Scottish Second Division
Cowdenbeath v Arbroath
Irn-Bru Scottish Third Division
Berwick v Stranraer
East Stirling v Queen's Park
The postponed matches list will be updated throughout the day