Crewe's home game against Colchester was the first English Football League fixture to be postponed as freezing conditions threaten to disrupt all sports this weekend.

The Sky Bet League Two club announced the pitch at Gresty Road is unplayable, while Port Vale's home game against Tranmere has also been cancelled due to a frozen pitch.

Several National Hunt races have also fallen to the cold weather.

Wetherby's Towton Chase card was abandoned after an inspection on Friday morning and both Friday's jumps fixtures, at Catterick and Chepstow, were called off on Thursday.

The cold weather has delivered a third successive blank day in the National Hunt calendar.

Prospects for Sandown's Saturday card appear more encouraging after an optimistic bulletin on Twitter. Despite overnight snow on Thursday into Friday, no inspection is yet planned.

Musselburgh abandoned their weekend Cheltenham Trials fixture after an inspection on Thursday with the track frozen solid, but racing is set to go ahead on the all-weather at Lingfield on Friday, after early confirmation of no problems.

Leopardstown's Dublin Racing Festival is currently expected to beat the cold snap on Saturday and Sunday – during which eight Grade One races are set to take place.