Several events including Darlington's Santa Run have been cancelled over the weekend, due to minus temperatures, ice and snow. 

Conditions dropped to as cold as minus four degrees overnight in parts of Darlington and County Durham, leading to severe ice and snowy conditions in part of the region. 

Public transport and travel routes are severely impacted, with the an amber health alert still in place until December 5 across the North East. 

Off the back of the cold weather, several events have fallen victim to the conditions. 

The Darlington Santa Run, which was supposed to be taking place on Sunday (December 3), has been cancelled, and an alternative date is being sought.

St Teresa's Hospice, who were running the event, announced the news online, saying: "We’re so sorry to announce that due to the bad weather, to make sure everyone’s safe, we’re cancelling our Santa Run on Sunday, December 3.

"Thank you so much to all our supporters, volunteers, Darlington Rotary Club, West Park Academy and Sainsbury’s Darlington for all their help.

"We will be contacting all participants shortly and will hopefully reschedule the run in the new year.

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"We really couldn’t provide the care and support to our patients and their families without the funds raised from events such as these, and we are saddened that we’ve had to take this decision."

This isn't the only event to be cancelled over the weekend after Darlington FC announced that its Saturday match away against Southport has been postponed, due to a frozen pitch.

Meanwhile, Saturday’s high-profile racing fixture at Newcastle, which was due to stage the return of the Constitution Hill, has been abandoned due to snow on the track.