MOTORISTS have been told to expect extreme conditions next week as a Siberian weather front dubbed the ‘Beast from the East’ blasts the North East and North Yorkshire.

Police forces across the region renewed warnings over icy roads and pavements tonight (Friday, December 7), despite temperatures rising from -7.2C in Topcliffe, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire on Thursday to a low of 0.1C at Fylingdales, on the North York Moors today.

The warnings follow an 11-year-old boy being critically injured after a Range Rover was hit by a freight train near Greenhead, Northumberland, on Thursday, and police saying snow and ice could have been a factor.

The Met Office said the North-East could see an accumulation of snow on Monday as showers filter in off the North Sea and issued a severely cold weather alert for the region for Tuesday and Wednesday. It is believed temperatures could dip as low as -15C early next week and winds of up to 45mph will make it feel even colder.

A Meteogroup forecaster said Saturday would see a chilly start across the region, with icy patches and early sunshine giving way to a blanket of cloud from the north, bringing drizzle in the evening.

He said: “Temperatures should become milder over the weekend, but overnight on Saturday there will be wintry showers and snow on higher ground.

“However, after the weekend it become cold until after Wednesday, when the maximum temperature will be around 1C.”

North Yorkshire Police and the Environment Agency have urged people to exercise caution following the recent flooding.

They warned that flooding and surface water were still affecting isolated areas, which would be prone to difficult and icy conditions as temperatures plunged.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: “The cold snap may easily turn this into sheets of ice and whether we’re walking or driving we need to be very careful, to be aware of temperatures and to watch our footing and our speed.”