HOLIDAYMAKERS had to contend with miserable Easter weather as they tried to make the most of the long bank holiday weekend.

Mist, rain and a biting wind hit the region on the weekend which is traditionally one of the busiest of the year for the region's resorts and attractions.

Coastal resorts were particularly badly hit.

Police in south-west Durham said drinkers had turned out in droves over the holiday weekend, but it was trouble-free. Hundreds flocked to pubs in Bishop Auckland, Crook and Willington, but kept the peace and stayed out of the cells.

Inspector Martin Peace, of Bishop Auckland, said: "The majority of people have stayed out of trouble."