Northern Ireland's car breakdown services are preparing for another week of treacherous conditions on the region's roads, after requests for help piled up during the last fortnight's cold snap. Last week, the RAC revealed it had fielded thousands of calls – receiving twice as many requests as usual at one point.

In a further warning to car insurance customers in Northern Ireland, representatives for the region's water service have urged motorists not to venture across frozen surfaces. The call follows last week's spotting of a vehicle moving across one of Northern Ireland Water's reservoirs.

Though it admitted being unable to completely restrict access to the site in the Sperrin Mountains, the company enlisted the help of the police service, visiting Lough Fea impounding reservoir to warn people off the ice.

"People assume the ice over the lough is thick enough to play on," Northern Ireland water boss Charlie Gallagher pointed out to the Belfast Telegraph. "However, the ice could be thin in places and as we draw off water."

During the cold snap, car insurance claims are reported to have arisen from circumstances including drivers losing control on bends and gradients and hitting lamp-posts, road signs and parked cars.