Snow brings North East disruption as schools and roads shut

The Angel of the North covered in snow

The first significant snowfall of the winter brought disruption to the north-east of England on Friday morning.

Some schools closed and motorists faced heavy delays after the region woke up to a blanket of snow.

Police urged drivers to be careful as the freezing conditions took hold.

Durham Constabulary warned motorists of poor road conditions after a multi-vehicle crash saw parts of the A19 southbound closed in the early hours.

The snowy scene from Tynemouth on Friday morning

Serious congestion along the A19 continued throughout the morning, with motorists experiencing delays of up to two hours due to ice on the southbound carriageway.

More routes throughout the North East were closed or suffered heavy traffic due to the snowfall.

A snow shower over Langley Park

Seaham High School was forced to close due to the snowy weather.

Sunderland's Mowbray Park in the snow

A Met Office yellow weather warning of snow and ice was in place for parts of the region, including Newcastle, Sunderland, Darlington and Hartlepool.

A fresh warning has been issued for ice and snow which will be in place until 10:00 GMT on Saturday.

A snowy Redcar sea front

The region was warned to expect longer journey times, icy patches on untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths, and potential injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces.

• In pictures: Snow blankets parts of England

The Met Office advised anyone planning to travel in the snow to plan their route, check for delays and road closures and to inspect vehicles before setting off.

They also recommended packing essentials and taking a fully charged phone on any car journey.