Pictures as Consett covered in snow during North East cold weather

Photographer Owen Humphreys was out early to capture the wintery scenes in Consett and sent his drone up to capture the extent of the white-out across the area.

Speaking to The Northern Echo, Owen who is based in Cullercoats in North Tyneside, told us how he "Headed up in the dark to get photos at first light. When I got there it was a lot thicker than I thought, so I sent the drone up to get pictures of the wider landscape.

"It was like a winter wonderland."

Temperatures in Consett were below freezing as Owen took his photos, and many parts of the UK are under a yellow weather warning from the Met Office until Monday. In the North East the warning is in place because of ice, with the Met Office warning of the risk from "Some injuries from slips and falls on icy surfaces," and of "some icy patches on some untreated roads, pavements and cycle paths."

Meanwhile the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has issued a Level 3 cold weather alert covering England until Monday. The UKHSA is the government body which replaced Public Health England when it was scrapped in April 2021.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at UKHSA, said: "Cold weather can have serious consequences for health, and older people and those with heart or lung conditions can be particularly at risk.

"If you have a pre-existing medical condition, you should heat your home to a temperature that is comfortable for you. Try to heat the rooms you use most, such as the living and bedroom, to at least 18°C if you can and keep your bedroom windows closed at night."

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Rebekah Sherwin, said: "Temperatures will start to dip this week, with daytime temperatures struggling to get above freezing in many places from mid-week onwards. However, the cold air from the Arctic will also bring brighter conditions, with some dry, sunny spells in many areas, particularly away from the coast."

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