A HOUSEHOLDER who slipped over only two yards from his front door was among casualties of the cold snap being treated yesterday – as weathermen warned of more snow to come today.

The number of injured people being dealt with by medical staff at Royal Derby Hospital has risen significantly since the icy temperatures arrived.

Julie Wood, senior sister at the hospital's orthopaedic outpatients unit, said 20 casualties attended the fracture clinic yesterday.

She said: "The last week has definitely been busier because of the weather.

"We have mainly seen fractured wrists experienced by younger people rather than old, a lot of which have been done by simple things like going to the dustbin, or people doing their shopping."

She said Monday was particularly busy due to the cold spell of snow over the weekend.

"We had 46 people come to the unit with fractures, the previous Monday we had 32."

Craig Blount, 45, of Ripley, was being treated at the clinic. He said he fell over just before reaching his front door, after going out on a shopping trip on Tuesday .

He said: "I walked all the way to town and back home again and I was only two yards away from my house when I slipped.

"I landed on my front with my right leg underneath me.

"I knew straight away I had broken it, I knew it was more than a sprain.

"It was really painful and I was crying. My next-door neighbour heard me and came out to help."

Francis Fretwell , 71, ended up at the clinic with a fractured wrist after slipping over on the ice on Tuesday morning while he was walking dog Ben.

Mr Fretwell, of Horsley Woodhouse, said: "I slipped over and landed on my right arm.

"I didn't realise it was fractured, I thought it was just sprained.

"I drove to Derby in the afternoon and took my wife shopping. Then it started to swell in the evening so I thought I had better get it looked at."

He visited Ripley Hospital, where he was told his wrist was fractured and a temporary packing board was fitted.

He then went to the fracture clinic at the RDH where a plaster cast was fitted, which he will wear for the next four to six weeks.

"I thought the footpath was clear but it had black ice on it, I was wearing walking boots, so I was prepared," he said.

Weathermen said a weather front heading for the East Midlands could bring up to 8cm of snow from midday today. Temperatures are expected to continue to drop below freezing at night up to and including Saturday.