Heavy snow brought parts of the region to a standstill today but the cold snap is due to come to an abrupt end today.

The east coast was the worst affected part of the region as blizzards swept in on Sunday night and into Monday morning.

Cars and lorries got stuck in snow drifts on the A171 between Whitby and Scarborough in North Yorkshire, closing the road, while the A169 at Blue Bank, just south of Whitby was impassable.

Police officers said the A170 at Sutton Bank was only passable for four wheel drive vehicles and blamed the weather conditions for an accident on the bank.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: "Road conditions are very poor on the east coast and the North York Moors. Travellers should not make any journeys unless they are essential."

Scarborough was also lashed by a hailstorm, with heavy seas damaging a 1,000m stretch of the sea front where contractors carrying out road works had set up fencing and barriers.

Further north there were problems on minor roads in east Durham and Northumberland, where the roads around Alnwick were in a treacherous condition.

While the cold weather remains, the AA is advising drivers to take extra care on the roads.

Claire Price, AA's spokeswoman for the North East, said: "If you have got a long journey to go on, try and take some food, warm clothing and a spade in the boot in case you do get stuck."

The cold weather should move out today, with forecasters predicting that temperatures will rise to nine degrees centigrade on Christmas Eve, and could be as high as ten on Christmas Day.

PA weather forecaster, Neil Talboys said: "It is going to get a lot milder today and into Christmas Eve, with the cold snap fading away in the next 24 hours." .