WEATHER forecasters issued a severe weather warning for freezing temperatures, snow and ice last night as the region endured the coldest night this winter.

The Arctic conditions are expected to last until Thursday - prompting fears for the elderly and vulnerable.

And the big freeze is expected to put the region's hospitals under even greater pressure.

Staff at accident and emergency departments, already under pressure as a result of record patient numbers, are bracing themselves for an influx of casualties suffering broken limbs and brusing as a result of slipping on ice.

With many elderly people struggling to heat their homes, Age UK warned last night that one older person could die every seven minutes from the cold.

The charity’s director, Caroline Abrahams, said: “The cold weather can be particularly dangerous for older people who are more at risk of suffering health problems when the temperature drops.

“We are calling on the Government to commit to improving the energy efficiency of homes across the country in order to provide a long-lasting solution to the scandal of fuel poverty and preventable winter deaths.”

Fleets of gritters were working round the clock to keep the region's main roads open last night - but drivers on some routes, such as the A66, faced blizzard conditions.

A number of accidents were reported on the region’s roads over the weekend.

Paul Richardson, deployment manager at North Yorkshire Police, said: “I’d just like to issue a plea for all the public to pre-prepare their journey and take their time.

“We’d just like to make drivers aware just to slow down, plan their journey and prepare for the conditions and get from A to B safely.”