MOUNTAIN rescue volunteers have carried out a late-night operation to assist people who became stranded in Arctic conditions high on the North York Moors.

Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue said two 4x4 ambulances were sent to assist passengers of a car which had become stuck in snow and ice in the Blakey Ridge area of the national park, near Rosedale, late on Friday.

The incident came as the UK faced the coldest temperature of the winter, with up to 4ins (10cm) of snow on higher ground and gales in the North-East.

The Northern Echo:

‎The Northern Echo Camera Club member Mark Brownless‎ captured this scene of The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, being blanketed by snow, during the early hours of Saturday morning

A severe weather warning is in place for parts of the country with sleet and snow expected to fall until Sunday afternoon.

The freezing temperatures are expected to last for the weekend, with the mercury rising into the high single figures by Monday.

A yellow snow warning is in place until 3pm on Sunday across the North- East and Yorkshire.

Widespread and at times heavy snow - rain or sleet at lower levels - is expected to develop along the Pennine chain, with it drifting in the strong north-easterly winds.

Helen Roberts from the Met Office said: "On Sunday there will be a reasonably widespread frost despite the cloud so temperatures, away from towns and cities, widely below freezing, a few degrees below in a few spots."

She added: "Maximum temperatures on Sunday will probably not be dissimilar to Saturday, so we are looking at generally between about 2C to 6C (36F to 42.8F), right the way across the country.

"Then into the start of next week we start to see some slightly less cold weather actually pushing in.

"So by Monday probably more in the way of sunshine, temperatures into high single figures."

Health officials also warned the elderly and sick to stock up on essential medicines and food ahead of the cold snap.

Public Health England medical director Professor Paul Cosford said: "With more cold weather across all parts of England, now is the time to really think how it could impact you and your family, particularly those who are very young, over 65 or who have heart and lung conditions.

"Try to keep homes heated to at least 18C (64F), stock up on any essential medicine or food that you need before the cold arrives and remember that you will be warmer wearing several thin layers instead of fewer thick ones."

Conditions could conspire to beat the current lowest temperature of the winter so far, the minus 11C (12.2F) recorded at Cromdale in Moray, north-east Scotland, on December 5.

A Met Office spokeswoman said: "In areas like the Pennines, North York Moors and the Southern Highlands we are looking at lying snow of 3-6cm (1.2 to 2.5in) above 200m and maybe as much as 10cm (4in) above 300m.

"Down the eastern side of the UK we are likely to see snow flurries, sleet and showers coming through, which are likely to turn wintry.

"We could see gales in the North East, with drifting snow, and we could see icy conditions and disruptions to transport, particularly on higher routes through the Pennines."