FREEZING temperatures and heavy snow transformed the region into an Arctic landscape yesterday.

Only a few parts of the region escaped a covering of snow, with many parts getting up to four inches between Thursday night and yesterday morning.

County Durham, Northumberland, Tyneside, Wearside, Teesside and North Yorkshire all suffered from the sub-zero conditions, with ice and snow persisting in places yesterday.

The east coast bore the brunt of the wintry weather as thousands of people in and around Whitby and Scarborough battled to overcome treacherous driving conditions and persisting snow showers.

In County Durham, much of the snow fell during Thursday night but despite most areas being covered by several inches of snow and an underlayer of ice, incidents on the roads were restricted to a few minor bumps.

Further east, on Teesside, conditions were more difficult for drivers, and the A174 at Saltburn Bank remained "treacherous" last night after being closed earlier in the day.

Police across the region renewed their advice to drivers to make journeys only if they are absolutely necessary.

Transport across the region managed to operate normally in spite of the freezing temperatures, with all major rail routes and airports running throughout the day. However, Railtrack's regeneration work at Leeds station has been suspended due to the cold weather, with work expected to be resumed on Monday.

At Witton Castle, near Bishop Auckland, the cold snap was good news for staff, as it turned the picturesque castle into a wintry ice palace.

Castle spokesman John Harker said: "It's absolutely enchanting and looks like a fairy tale or a Christmas card scene."

The Arctic-like conditions also attracted unusual birds.

Arctic Waxwings, more commonly seen in the northern forests of Scandinavia and Russia, have been spotted in Yorkshire, Durham and Newcastle.