In pictures: Frozen Europe

A bitter winter chill and heavy snowfalls caused chaos in Europe, with temperatures plunging as low as -30°C (-22°F) in some areas.

Arctic winds and Siberian temperatures transformed yachts on Lake Geneva into ice sculptures

In northern Greece, more than 500 villages were completely snowed in and airports had to be shut down

Two days of heavy snowfall and high winds blocked hundreds of village roads across Bulgaria

Residents in neighbouring Macedonia were preparing for a rare White Christmas

Venice's famous gondolas lay unused

Munich was transformed overnight into a white city

An outdoor chess table was used for a different kind of play in Budapest

Hundreds of motorists abandoned vehicles in north-east Spain - and some were trapped inside

Even the Black Sea near the Bulgarian coast started freezing