RECENT cold weather has increased the chances of a White Christmas, and bookmakers Ladbrokes are to offer a special price based on snowflakes falling in Harrow.

The conventional market, which attracts thousands of pounds of bets every year, is based on snowfall at London's Met office, but local punters can now get 4/1 against snow falling on the roof of Ladbrokes' headquarters in Rayners Lane.

Spokesman Warren Lush said that as their business is 24-hour, employees who would be working throughout Christmas Day would be perfectly placed to judge the results.

The last official White Christmas was in 2000.