7,000 homes in Yorkshire hit by power cuts after heavy snow

Thousands of homes across Yorkshire have been hit by power cuts after heavy snowfall.

Northern Powergrid said it was experiencing "fault levels above business-as-usual levels" and was on "full alert" on Friday morning.

The energy company said about 7,000 customers had been affected, mainly in West and South Yorkshire.

A spokesperson said: "Our teams responded quickly and have already made progress in restoring supplies.

"There are road closures in the worst affected areas due to the snow and therefore it may take us a little longer than usual to get everyone reconnected.

"We will be working through all remaining incidents where it is accessible and safe to do so to reconnect as many customers as possible."

Restoring supplies on Friday would rely on engineers being able to access roads.

It came as snow caused widespread disruption, with hundreds of schools closed and roads and businesses shut.

On the M62, drivers reported being stranded for hours in blizzard like conditions.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.