Fabio Capello's plans for the start of England's World Cup build-up were under major threat from the elements last night.

Capello and the bulk of his 30-man provisional squad for South Africa were due to meet at Heathrow this morning to fly out to their base-camp in Austria.

But the threat to flights from southern England caused by the latest eruptions from the Icelandic volcano which is spewing molten rock and dust into the heavens seems set to ground Capello and his squad.

While the FA were awaiting news from the National Air Traffic Services experts, a contingency plan was already being set up.

This will see the squad staying at a hotel in Luton and training at Arsenal's London Colney complex, their regular base for home matches.

But while Capello and the FA are still hopeful of travelling to Austria, the plans for a warm weather, high altitude training camp could be destroyed by more unstoppable problems.

Irdning, the village in Styria which Capello has picked for the camp, is suffering the worst May weather in history, with high winds, temperatures below zero and snow in the mountains which is drifting along the valley itself.

If the appalling conditions continue, Capello may be forced to change his plans even if the ash cloud problems relent, with the possibility that the squad could stay in England until after Monday's warm-up friendly with Mexico.

Capello is expecting to welcome 24 of his squad today, having given the Chelsea quartet of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Joe Cole, as well as Portsmouth's David James, two extra days off after their FA Cup Final exertions.

They are due to fly out on Wednesday, while Gareth Barry will not meet up until after his planned scan and medical tests next Monday which will determine if he will be fit for the World Cup after his ankle ligament injury.