YELLOW WEATHER WARNINGS: Snow, ice and gale force winds set to blast the North West

Yellow weather warnings for snow, ice and wind have been issued for parts of the North West England, say weather experts.

Forecasters at the Met Office have warned that northern parts of the UK, including parts of East Lancashire and Wigan, may be affected by snow and ice as temperatures plummet on Tuesday evening.

And more disruption can be expected from Wednesday evening into Thursday as strong winds of around 60-70 mph are expected to hit the county with the possibility of winds reaching 80mph.

A spokesman for the Met Office said: "Showers will turn to sleet, snow and hail late on Monday night across northern England.

"Delays to travel are possible, with a lower likelihood of cancellations of public transport. Some roads and pavements will turn icy, with an increased likelihood of some accidents and injuries.

"Very strong winds will affect parts of the UK during Wednesday night and into Thursday. The strongest winds are expected to transfer eastwards across the warning area before clearing by early afternoon. Road, rail and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations.

"There is also a possibility that some bridges may close. Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage.

"Injuries and danger to life from flying debris are possible, along with some damage to buildings. In addition, large waves are expected to affect some western coasts with beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties."

The weather warning for snow is in place until around 9am on Thursday and the weather warning for wind expires at around 1pm on Thursday, January 18.