THREE generations of a family were recovering yesterday after their vehicle was stuck in a snowdrift for nearly 15 hours.

Police, council workers and farmers formed a search party to find Michael Collinson, his father, Tom, 68, and son Mark, 12, who became trapped at Sunniside, near Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

Mr Collinson, 42, set out with his son on Tuesday evening to collect his father, whose car was snowed-in at Tow Law.

The three set of to return to their Howden-le-Wear home in a 4x4 Freelander, but got stuck in a snowdrift at Sunniside.

Mr Collinson said: "We were heading towards Oakenshaw and decided to turn back towards Sunniside, but got stuck. It was about 8pm. I phoned a friend and asked if he'd bring a shovel so we could dig ourselves out, but he couldn't get any further than Tow Law."

Leaving his father and son in the vehicle, Mr Collinson walked to Tow Law and back to get a shovel - a journey which took seven hours.

He said: "By the time I got back to the car it was too bad to dig it out, so we decided it was safer to stay put. We didn't call the police because we knew they wouldn't get there."

The three kept warm by turning on the car engine for 30 minutes at a time, and kept in contact with Mr Collinson's wife, Lynn, throughout the night.

Police were alerted at 9.20am when Mrs Collinson rang them to report the incident.

Sergeant Phil Stokoe, of Crook police, said: "A number of officers went out with council workers, and with the assistance of local farmers a snow plough managed to trace the vehicle. We are just pleased that everyone is safe and well.