THE first snowfall of the year hit the region yesterday, causing minor disruption but leaving most areas with only a light dusting.

The snow, which was mainly confined to high ground, caused two roads to become unpassable in Teesdale, County Durham.

About 5cm fell in the south of the region at Fylingdales Moor, in North Yorkshire, and 3cm of snow was recorded at Boltshope Park in Northumberland.

The B6277 between Middleton-in-Teesdale and Alston, in Cumbria, became blocked yesterday lunchtime.

The road was cut off near Langdon Beck following heavy snowfalls and blizzard conditions.

The B6276 Lunedale Road, which also runs from Middleton towards Cumbria was also declared unpassable.

Both roads were closed overnight and motorists travelling on the A66 west of Barnard Castle were warned of dangerous driving conditions.

Some minor accidents were reported in North Yorkshire because of the weather.

On the A59, between Harrogate and Skipton, a van overturned in the early hours of yesterday. Police said nobody was hurt in the incident.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said that overnight on Tuesday there were 17 incidents of vehicles going off the road as a result of icy conditions.

The spokesman said: "Nearly all the bumps were on minor roads, which, unfortunately, the gritters are not able to reach."

Snow was reported across Northern England and in parts of Wales and Northern Ireland.

The west and central lowlands of Scotland were the worst-affected areas, with Glasgow Airport recording 10cm of snowfall yesterday morning.

A man was killed in the South of England in a road accident involving an articulated lorry and a road gritter.

Barrie Hughes, 60, of Belvedere, Kent, was killed when he was struck by the articulated lorry as it overtook the gritter lorry on the anti-clockwise carriageway of the M25 in the early hours of yesterday.

Police said the lorry swerved to avoid Mr Hughes, who had been standing in the middle to the road, into the path of the gritter lorry, which struck the rear of the bigger lorry.

The Met Office said temperatures in the North-East were set to rise over the next few days.

However, it said more cold weather was expected for the weekend, bringing with it the possibility of further snowfalls for the region.