IT may have only been Bonfire Night, but some people woke up thinking it could be Christmas.

Around two inches of snow fell overnight (NOV 5) producing a winter wonderland in parts of Teesdale and Weardale in County Durham.

Motorists were left scraping their cars after the unexpected wintery blast brought a blanket of white.

Durham County Council said it was the authority's first recorded snow fall this winter.

Laura Young, a spokeswoman for the Met Office, said: "We got rain coming in overnight which met very cold air and that's what caused it.

"It doesn't surprise me that it snowed. We were expecting some wintry showers, particularly in high areas such as the Pennines, North wales and the Highlands."

She added that the forecast for tonight was slightly warmer and no more snow is forecast in the next few days.