SNOW and ice caused problems for motorists on Friday with forecasters warning of more wintery weather on the way over the weekend.

By the early hours just over an inch had fallen across high ground in the region with the Met Office issuing a weather warning for much of northern England.

Police in North Yorkshire dealt with three separate accidents on the A1(M) near the Wetherby junction between 6am and 8am.

Nobody was injured in the single-vehicle crashes but motorists faced delays.

Snow caused the closure of Sutton Bank near Thirsk for several hours until it had been cleared.

The A66 trans-Pennine route between Scotch Corner and Brough remained open but the route was only passable with care, with police reporting that traffic was at a standstill between Bowes and Brough at one point.

Durham Police said they had responded to a number of collisions on the road.

Heavy snow was reported on higher ground in Teesdale and Weardale with Durham County Council's snow ploughs out in force.

Several roads in the Yorkshire Dales were also affected impassable until snow ploughs had done their job.

Newcastle and Durham Tees Valley airports were unaffected but Leeds Bradford Airport was forced to close as crews worked to clear the runway, after 5cm of snow fell overnight.

Flights resumed at 9am, but further delays were expected.

Strong, north-easterly winds and wintry showers in many places will ensure temperatures remain below normal at least until the middle of next week, the Met Office said.

Further snow could fall on higher ground in the west of the region on Saturday.

A Met Office spokesman said: "It will remain cold, with brisk northerly winds persisting.

"There will be frequent wintry showers in the north and west, whilst there should be fewer showers in the east with some sunny intervals. The maximum temperature will be 5C."

It will remain cold on Sunday and into next week with wintry showers, overnight frosts and some hill snow.