Watch firefighters tackle the snow mounds which have closed the A690

Snow mounds have gathered on the hillside above the west-bound side of the dual carriageway near Houghton Cut.

They prompted Northumbria Police and Sunderland City Council to make the joint decision on Friday afternoon to shut a stretch of the road heading from the A19 Herrington roundabout to the A182 Houghton town centre turn off.

As our picture and video shows, firefighters have been attempting to dislodge the mounds on Saturday afternoon in a bid to reopen the Durham-bound road.

The opposite side of the carriageway, from Durham to Sunderland, remains open although it is down to a single lane in places.

Other Saturday weather stories, as the Beast from the East refuses to give in passively, include:

*Part of Sunderland pier collapses following storms;

*Another Sunderland closes due to snow drifts;

*More snow expected to hit North East on Saturday