A THIRD day of snow and sub-zero temperatures today led to accidents, cancelled services and school closures as York and North Yorkshire struggled to cope.

As the 'Beast from the East' refused to loosen its grip, 38 schools in the York area, more than 300 additional schools across North Yorkshire and some 70 schools in East Yorkshire were closed because of the weather.

York College will be closed for a second day tomorrow (Friday, March 2), including all evening classes.

Today, the A19 south of York proved to be particularly hazardous, with several crashes reported.

A lorry jack-knifed on the A19 in the morning, while another lorry left the road.

The jack-knifed lorry was between Crockey Hill and Escrick. 

The road was fully blocked until the vehicle was cleared.

The road was partially blocked again near Deighton after another lorry came off the road. It was blocking the road southbound until it was moved by a local farmer.

There was also a crash on the A19 between Crockey Hill and Deighton involving two cars.

North Yorkshire Police said it received a report of the crash at about 5.40am.

A spokeswoman for the force added: “One driver was trapped and freed from vehicle by 6.02am. The road was blocked whilst emergency services dealt with the incident.”

It is believed both drivers were taken to hospital by ambulance to be checked over. The road was reopened at around 7am.

Elsewhere in North Yorkshire, one lane on the the A1(M) southbound just prior to junction 47 near Allerton Park had to be closed due to a “defective road surface,” according to Sergeant Paul Cording, of North Yorkshire Police.

The B1248 out of Norton from Beverley Road and Staxton Hill near Scarborough were closed, as was the A165 Filey to Bridlington road.

Police tweeted in the morning that many Ryedale roads were “impassable” due to drifting snow and urged motorists to only travel if “absolutely necessary”.

Virgin Trains East Coast cancelled some trains, and advised customers not to travel today or tomorrow due to the “extreme weather conditions”.

First York cancelled some buses, while York Pullman Bus Company said it was unable to serve the villages along the route of its 37 service.

City of York Council’s recycling trucks did not go out and the authority asked York’s litter heroes to reschedule their Great British Spring Clean events - planned for this weekend - in view of the cold weather.

It has decided to postpone York’s spring clean to ensure residents and partners stay safe in the icy weather.

The city council said it had gritted primary routes five times, and primary footpaths twice, since Wednesday, as well as heading out with snowploughs onto rural roads.

With the threat of more bad weather, the city council planned to have its gritters back on the roads from 4pm today and again from 4am tomorrow - and has pledged that despite fears over the ‘winter maintenance’ budget in mid-February, its depots have “enough rock salt and grit to cope with the current situation”.

A yellow weather warning is in place for snow in York and North Yorkshire throughout tomorrow. A more severe amber warning was issued for snow between 10am today and 10am tomorrow.

Forecasters say tomorrow will remain cold with scattered snow showers across North Yorkshire. The maximum temperature will be 1C.