HOPES for the first white Christmas in more than 20 years remain as the Evening News weatherman predicts a moderate chance of snow.

Even if we do not wake up to a blanket of snow on Christmas Day, we should wrap up because the mild Worcestershire weather is set to turn, says Paul Damari

"During Christmas Eve and the weekend the weather will be cheery with sunshine but it will be bitterly cold," he said.

"There will also be the threat of some hail, sleet and snow showers in places, especially in the north-west of the area, around Malvern and Ludlow."

The last time there was thick ground snow in Worcestershire and Herefordshire on Christmas Day was in 1981 when temperatures over the festive period and New Year plummeted to a shivering - 17.5C. And parts of the two counties experienced patchy snow in 1995.

Mr Damari said that the winter weather this month had not brought any surprises. "This is very normal weather for this time of year," he said.

"It is nothing unusual for late December to have a cold spell like this."

He predicted that the maximum day temperatures over the festive period would range from three to 5C (37 to 41F), although it would feel colder in the breeze.

The night temperatures could fall to -2 to 2C (28 to 36F).