Rare 'ice pancakes' form in weir during cold snap

Ice pancakes at Norby Weir, near Thirsk

A rare natural phenomenon has been spotted on a river during the current cold snap.

Foam generated by the falls at Norby Weir, near Thirsk, has frozen to form circular discs known as "ice pancakes".

They are created when surface foam freezes and the edges are rubbed off by collisions between the discs.

Photographs of the unusual spectacle were taken by Nick Gow on Thursday as he walked along the Cod Beck.

The frozen foam has formed pancake-like discs

According to the Met Office, ice pancakes are a relatively rare phenomenon that tend to occur in very cold oceans and lakes.

They are more often seen in the Baltic Sea and around Antarctica and only infrequently appear in the UK.

Mr Gow said: "I didn't know if it was just the water all frothed up. I'd never heard of ice pancakes."

Snow and ice caused disruption across North Yorkshire earlier this week, with roads described as "treacherous".

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