A BLAST of wintery weather sweeping in from the north east caused a sudden dusting of snow across Dorset this afternoon.

The mercury plunged to three degrees for much of the day, although gusts of icy wind travelling at up to 36 miles per hour made it feel more like -3C.

Snow fell across the region, with a light dusting reported in Weymouth, Dorchester and the east of the county.

The cold temperatures are well below those usually enjoyed in April, which average out at 12C or 13C.

And the gloomy outlook is set to continue for much of the week, with the weather feeling as cold as -6C at 7am on Friday morning, with blasts of wind hitting 37 miles per hour in Weymouth, and cloudy days on Sunday and Monday.

However, the sun will shine on Saturday for most of the afternoon, forecasters have predicted, with temperatures reaching 8C at 4pm.

Temperatures are expected to remain low until next week, when a low-pressure system from the Atlantic is hoped to bring slightly warmer weather.

By the end of next week, forecasters are predicting that the temperatures could even be back up to their average for the month.