HEAVY snow and freezing temperatures caused travel disruption across the region as wintry weather dubbed the “Beast from the East” intensified, in late February and early March, 2018.

Roads across the UK were covered in a blanket of snow, with police forces reporting treacherous driving conditions and blocked routes.

The Met Office warned up to 40cm of snow could fall in the North-East between February 28 and March 1, 2018.

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While drivers were being warned of hazardous conditions, hundreds of trains were cancelled, many schools shut and forecasters said some rural communities may be cut off.

A community rallied round to give a couple a real white wedding on February 28, 2018, after heavy snowfall threatened to scupper their plans.

Severe weather meant the roads around St Cuthbert’s Church at Benfieldside, near Shotley Bridge, Consett, were impassable.

But an 11th hour appeal by the church on social media meant Daniel Hodgson and Rebecca McKenzie, who lived in Leadgate, were able to get hitched as planned.

About 30 people brought snow shovels to clear the paths while Craig Foster, from Mac Security, used a snow plough on his Land Rover and a tractor from Turfcare Specialists cleared Church Bank and spread salt.

Reverend Martin Jackson, who led the service, said: “It is a great relief, but it has been a terrific experience because people have turned out in droves with their shovels.

“To see people pull together so well is brilliant. At one point Church Bank was the clearest route in Consett, which is really saying something.

“The service was a bit chilly because the church heating has packed in and needs replacing, but they did have the warmth of the congregation."

The bride arrived in a 4x4 vehicle, from Beamish Hall Hotel, near Stanley, where the wedding reception was being held.

They tied the knot shortly after noon, as a blizzard was sweeping across the region.

Baby Sienna came into the world in the middle of a snow storm on the side of the A66, on March 1, 2018.

Daniella Waring went into labour with her third child and headed for hospital from her home in Catterick, North Yorkshire, with her husband, Andrew.

As the couple trekked across the A66, a blizzard and poor driving conditions forced Mr Waring to pull over near Elton, between Darlington and Stockton, when they realised their baby girl was not going to wait much longer.

Mr Waring said: “The weather was very bad and I struggled to find somewhere to pull over and barely had time to ring 999 when the baby started coming.

“Having been present at the birth of our two other children I just copied what I had seen then.

“I opened the passenger door and knelt in the snow to deliver the baby.”

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Sheep farmer David Mallon braved the harsh conditions to move his pregnant Swaledale ewes to a safer part of his farm in Eggleston, Teesdale, just weeks before they are due for lambing.

Mr Mallon, 35, said: “It definitely makes the routine work more difficult and obviously there’s a concern for the safety and welfare of the animals.

“You have got to be careful on the farm and know the farm to know where is safest to move them when the snow is blowing and drifting across.”