Indoor attractions in York were benefiting today from wintry gales and the cold weather.

Claire Kendrick, business manager at Water World, Monks Cross, said it attracted more than 1,700 swimmers yesterday.

"It's normally only around 1,000, so obviously we are absolutely delighted," she said.

The number of visitors to the National Railway Museum in York was up 22 per cent on the same weekend last year.

Spokeswoman Jo Beckerley said despite new outdoor developments, the museum was seen as an indoor attraction.

"We are putting the increase in numbers down to the weather and to our new Photo 98 exhibition," she said.

The weather, though, brought mixed fortunes for DIY stores such as B&Q.

Duty manager of the Foss Islands Road branch in York, Dave Shaw, said: "We've found that when the weather is really bad people stay away from doing the gardening, but will do more indoor work.

"We are seeing a different sales pattern, but, on the whole, if the weather is bad, people stay away."

But organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show, which gets under way in Harrogate tomorrow, are refusing to be downcast about the doom and gloom.

A spokeswoman said: "For any event, it is nicer if the sun shines.

"But the majority of the Great Yorkshire Show is under cover anyway and we have eight miles of permanent road so if it does rain it shouldn't be a problem."

The temperature is unlikely to reach more than 15C (59F) in the North.

A spokesman for PA Weather Centre said North Yorkshire said it will remain cool and blustery tomorrow with the probability of more showers. There will be a bit more in the way of showers on Wednesday," said the spokesman. "But the general outlook is still unsettled with longer spells of rain towards the weekend."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.