YORK city centre was an icy winter wonderland at the weekend - despite only a few flakes of snow.

While half the country struggled to go anywhere because roads were blocked and trains cancelled under several inches of snow, families had no difficulty flocking to York by road or rail.

The city centre was packed on Saturday and Sunday with people marvelling at the ice sculptures on the annual York Ice Trail.

Many came to York especially to see the wide variety of creations.

They shivered at the sight of Siggy the Mansion House Dragon in St Helen's Square, smiled at the gold crested newt in Vangard Shopping Centre and had themselves photographed with wings, courtesy of one of the sculptures in Coppergate Centre.

They also contemplated a very cold cup of tea outside the Grand Hotel, in Station Rise and joined in the competition to name the nameless Mighty Viking in Whip-ma-Whop-ma-Gate.

The UK's biggest Ice Trail featured 45 figures scattered from Monks Cross to Micklegate.

Each sculpture was sponsored by a local business or organisation and many were located in front of the sponsor's building.

Meanwhile, York appeared to miss the worst of the weather over the weekend.

After a cold but dry night and morning, wintry showers threatened briefly to make it slippery underfoot around lunchtime yesterday as a sold-out audience for the final of the UK Snooker Championship was heading for the Barbican, but light snow hadn't settled by yesterday afternoon.

There were light coverings of snow on higher ground in North Yorkshire, but all the main roads remained open, including Sutton Bank on the A170 between Thirsk and Helmsley.

On Saturday night, the temperature in York was just below zero and didn't rise above two degrees all day yesterday.