NORTHERN England faces the coldest winter for years with snow and freezing temperatures, forecasters have warned.

Experts have measured the coldest Atlantic temperatures in a generation - prompting fears for an excessively cold winter.

Ladbrokes have cut the odds on a white Christmas in Newcastle to 4/1  after weather experts predicted snow and ice.

And forecasters at international forecaster Accuweather said Northern England and Scotland are likely to bear the brunt of the freezing temperatures.

AccuWeather meteorologist Tyler Roys told The Mirror newspaper: "We'll see full-on cold spells.

"Northern England faces colder-than-normal periods, some of which could affect southern England, and Scotland is forecast a colder than normal winter."

The warning has been prompted by melt water from Greenland cooling the Atlantic ocean. According to the US Government's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather department: "The area of ocean had its coldest January to August in at least 80 years of records."

The Atlantic is expected to act like a deep freeze as weather systems cross the ocean towards Britain. As freezing clouds pass over land they will deposit snow and ice.

The Northern Echo: