THE extremes of the British climate were illustrated by conditions across the North-East as the region prepares for damp New Year celebrations.

Snow fell on the A66 on Stainmore on Sunday night and the early hours of yesterday. The road stayed open, and gritting crews reported much of the fall had turned to slush by yesterday afternoon.

But, just 40 miles away in the Vale of York, communities were bracing themselves for another night-time deluge.

The Environment Agency issued flood watches for the lower reaches of the Rivers Swale, Ure, Wharfe and Derwent while, once again, York bore the brunt.

The Ouse was on a formal flood alert, with the river already 10ft above normal levels by lunchtime yesterday, with the water expected to peak at 13ft above normal by this morning.

The hamlet of Cattal, between Knaresborough and York, was also holding its breath as flood water seeped over the banks of the River Nidd.

The high street in Elvington, near York, was underwater while the A170 between Thirsk and Helmsley was also shut due to flooding on Sunday night.

Lustrum Beck in Hartburn, Stockton, also broke its bank just after lunchtime yesterday, but with extra flood defences installed after similar floods last year, residents were last night hoping the flood water would recede.

Danger points along the beck included Hartburn Avenue and the Burnside Grove area. Another badly-hit area was Bishopton Road, also in Stockton.

Meanwhile, new flood defences at Yarm passed their first real test while hotspots at the Tees Estuary at Haverton Hill and Port Clarence posed no problems yesterday, although water levels were being checked every 15 minutes.

Weathermen forecast more rain over the New Year holiday - although not as heavy or as persistent as the downpour overnight on Sunday.