Heavy snow showers are forecast to fall on the North York Moors and across the Durham Dales next week as an Arctic blast sweeps the country.

BBC Weather, in association with MeteoGroup, says there will be heavy snow showers for three days running in Goathland in the middle of the moors, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, while people living in the Durham Dales, especially high on the hills, will see a flurry of snow.

It says sub-zero temperatures are expected overnight and they could struggle to rise above freezing by day, bringing the risk of frost and ice.

There could also be more widespread sleet and snow if a small polar low crosses the country.

Forecasters also expect light snow showers to fall over York early on Friday, and temperatures are not expected to rise above 3C for a week in the city.

A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Showers will fall increasingly as snow in the north, even to lower levels at times with notable accumulations over the Scottish mountains.”