This afternoon's race meeting at Newcastle has been abandoned because of overnight snow.

Parts of the course were protected from frost overnight but clerk of the course James Armstrong said that he wasn't expecting over an inch of snow at his 8am inspection.

He said: "There are plenty of people here willing to lend a hand but in the time we've got it's an impossible task, I'm afraid.

"We covered a mile and a quarter of the track with fleece earlier in the week and we've tried to take it off. Because there is so much snow on top, it is balling up and the fleece is tearing.

"It's snowing heavily again now and unfortunately we've had no option but to call off the meeting."

The seven-race card that was scheduled at Gosforth Park included the prestigious Betfred Eider.