Otters sample the snow at Washington Wetland Centre - and staff make snow otter while shovelling

Staff at Washington Wetland Centre captured the resident clan of otters as they sampled the snow.

The visitor attraction, run by the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, remains closed today due to the weather.

But staff at the centre have been working hard to care for the all animals at the site, as well as keep it shipshape as the extreme weather continues.

However, they did find time to sculpt a snow otter to help keep up a brave face against the elements.

They tweeted: "We are nature-loving, snow sculpting, hardy snow shovelers! It's been a heck of a day already but we've found time (like two mins) to make a wetland snow animal."