THE region shivered through some of the coldest daytime temperatures for years yesterday.

In parts of the North-East saw the thermometer rise no higher than - 7C even by the middle of the day.

The freezing conditions were expected to continue overnight and this morning, before making way for milder weather by tonight.

At Durham Tees Valley Airport, near Darlington, a day-time high of -7C was recorded, while it was -4 in Hartlepool and in York, and -2C in Middlesbrough.

At Aviemore, in Scotland, where overnight temperatures on Wednesday dropped to -12C - colder than Moscow - the 1pm high yesterday was only -7.1C.

By early afternoon yesterday, a new weather system was sweeping in from the west, bringing up to an inch of snow to parts of Northern Ireland, Wales, and south-west and central England.

A second system was following, which was likely to lead to more widespread snow falls overnight and into this morning.

Council chiefs in Darlington were last night bracing themselves for heavy snowfall.

Gritters fitted with snow ploughs were out overnight after the Met Office predicted coverings of between three and six inches.

Durham County Council's fleet of 40 snowplough gritters and 25 gritter trailers were working round the clock to keep roads open.

The snow is forecast to turn to rain, which is likely to form ice when it falls on already freezing surfaces, making driving treacherous.

The Highways Agency advised drivers to check weather forecasts before setting out on journeys.

* A man was found dead on the steps of West Bromwich Town Hall, in the West Midlands, amid freezing temperatures, it emerged yesterday.

The man, in his 40s, was dressed in a bomber jacket, shirt and jeans, when he was discovered on Wednesday morning.

Police fear he may have frozen to death.

Fun in the snow - Page 3