Heavy snow and ice brings travel disruption

Snow surrounds the Angel of the North. The roads surrounding it are lit by streetlights
Parts of the North East and Cumbria got a lashing of snow [PA Media]

Snow and ice has caused travel disruption across the North East and Cumbria, with an amber warning of snow in force across much of the region.

Most train services have been affected, while some flights out of Newcastle Airport were cancelled with passengers being advised to check before they travelled.

Five men in their 20s were rescued from England's highest mountain in the Lake District, where they were found "waist deep" in snow and suffering from the effects of hypothermia.

Meanwhile, more rain and snow is on the way as the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for Monday.

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Bus operator Stagecoach said all services in West Cumbria had been cancelled on Sunday evening, due to "severe" weather conditions.

Rail firm Northern advised all passengers not to travel "due to significant snowfall causing problems on the rail network".

LNER said delays and cancellations were possible on its routes, and added travel tickets were valid for use on Monday.

People - who are wrapped up warm - sledging near Durham Cathedral in Durham.
Fun and games were also had in the snow in Durham [PA Media]

On the roads, emergency services were called to several weather related incidents, including:

  • Cumbria Police responded to a one-vehicle crash on Kirkstone Pass in the early afternoon, and motorists were asked to avoid the area

  • Heavy snow on the A66 from Penrith towards Keswick had traffic at a standstill, Cumbria Police officers said

  • The Cumbria force also responded to a multi-vehicle collision on the A595 at Bothel, which blocked the road

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  • The A68 in Tow Law was closed due to an accident involving "multiple vehicles", Durham Police said

  • The A66 between Cumbria and County Durham was closed and there was some disruption on the A1 in County Durham

A British Airways plane is on the runway as snow falls around it. Snow blankets the ground.
Some flights out of Newcastle Airport were cancelled [Newcastle Airport]

Crews at Newcastle Airport "worked tirelessly" from the early hours of the morning to clear the runway, bosses said.

The runway at Teesside Airport was closed for about five hours, but has since reopened.

The Tyne and Wear Metro experienced weather-related problems too, with gaps in its services.

A Cumbria Police car with is blue lights on on a snowy road.
Cumbria Police said snow and ice had created "challenging conditions" on the region's roads [Cumbria roads police & firearms support unit]

The weather led to hundreds of power cuts across the region.

Northumberland, County Durham and Tyne and Wear saw more than 4,000 homes without power during the day.

Northern Powergrid's power cuts map shows estimated restoration times, but it warned challenging conditions meant these might be subject to change.

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Fun and games were also had in the snow, here are some pictures we were sent throughout the day.

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