A major rescue operation is under way after 130 cars were left stranded on a remote road in the north of England in blizzard conditions.

The passengers were caught out by heavy snowfall on a five mile stretch of the A66, around five miles outside of Bowes, near Barnard Castle, County Durham.

Durham and Cumbria police forces have closed the road after describing the trans-Pennine route as impassable.

All of the car drivers have been rescued but between 25 and 30 lorry drivers were still waiting for the emergency services to reach them.

A Durham police spokesman said: "We are working our way through the remaining vehicles and nobody is left in their car."

Car passengers have been taken to specially-opened reception centres in Bowes village.

The Highways Agency has said the stranded lorries would be taken through the snow to Scotch Corner by recovery vehicles, where the drivers can continue their journey.

A spokesman said: "We will take them to Scotch Corner where the lorries' tyres will be able to grip the roads.

"We are hoping to have this completed within the next couple of hours."

Meanwhile, severe weather warnings have been issued for all of the UK apart from south-east England.

And in Scotland, two firefighters were injured after bad weather caused a blazing garage to collapse on them.

There was heavy snow in the Highlands which caused lorries to get stuck on the A9 near Inverness.

There have been electricity blackouts in 300 households around Dumfries, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire, Scottish Power have said.

And drivers have been warned to plan their journey carefully and council gritters are on high alert to keep roads clear of ice.

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