SNOW has returned to the North East, bringing school closures and warnings of disruption to travel.

Gritting operations began in rural parts of the region last night and some bin collection services were put on hold.

The Met Office put out a 24-hour snow warning for the North East today, saying ice could develop on roads this evening and into tomorrow.

After a yellow warning and up to 4cm of snow on Monday, the North East is looking at “anything between a dusting and 3cm of snow” in the middle of the week, according to a Met Office spokesman.

On higher ground there could be 5-10cm of snowfall.

The spokesman said: “We can expect some snow, but not on the same level we saw two weeks ago.

“In some areas it might just be visual, but there’s always a chance it will cause disruption.

“People should take extra care while travelling.”

The reappearance of snow is down to low pressure bringing in air from the North Sea and Greenland, he explained. Air would normally be coming in from the Atlantic and be warmer.

“On Friday there may be a further flurry. Then on Sunday we might see something on a wider scale,” he added.

In Northumberland, Kielder Community First School was closed all day because of the weather, while Harbottle Church of England First School was shut for the afternoon.

Woodland Primary School in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, was closed because of a broken boiler.

Northumberland County Council began gritting all areas at 6pm yesterday. It warned people to “be aware of the risk of icy conditions on roads and pavements” throughout the county.

“The public should be aware of the potential for disruption, especially to travel,” a spokesman said.

Durham County Council also warned that roads in the county might be affected by icy stretches.

Properties in Slayley and High Mickley, Northumberland, missed recycling collections yesterday because of icy roads. The council said it hoped collections would be able to be made tomorrow.

High winds will also continue until tomorrow, the Met Office said, with gusts of up to 40mph. This follows several days of disruption caused by winds in the region, including traffic in the centre of Newcastle being stopped after gales ripped a Vodafone advertisement from a Pilgrim Street billboard.

Across the country more than 50 schools were closed yesterday and there were delays at Manchester, Leeds, Bradford and Belfast City airports because of the weather.

The public should be aware of the potential for disruption, especially to travel