Storm Bert wreaks havoc at Newcastle International Airport, as snow causes significant delays and cancellations

Passengers at Newcastle International Airport have reported that the runway was "decimated" by snow as Storm Bert brings heavy winds, rain, and continued snow and icy conditions.

Weather warnings are in place, indicating a "potential risk to life and property", with some flights from Newcastle to European destinations facing delays or cancellations.

Tim Harding, 53, and his wife Chona, 58, frequent fliers, were meant to depart at 9.15am on a KLM flight to Amsterdam before connecting to a Delta airlines flight to Orlando, Florida, to join family for Thanksgiving in the US. The couple reached the airport around 6am on Saturday, describing the weather conditions as "unprecedented" with snow falling "really quick" within a two-hour window.

Mr Harding said that even as they drove towards the airport, the weather deteriorated rapidly: "Going to the airport... it was sleeting all the way through then all of a sudden it started coming down."

Despite the efforts of numerous snow ploughs on the runway, their attempts to clear the snowfall were ineffective due to the fast accumulation and windy conditions: "There were about four or five snow ploughs on the runway and they just couldn’t clear it. It was windy and it was literally coming down really quick, so hard. In the space of two hours, it went from nothing to decimated."

"The gritters were out continuously, the ploughs were out continuously, but it just wasn’t having an impact unfortunately. I was surprised how quickly it came down and how much came down in a two-hour period. I haven’t seen that for a long time."

Although caught off guard by the severity of the weather, Mr Harding commended the airport staff for their diligent efforts in trying to keep the runway clear. "I think the airport did well. I think it was unprecedented... I think they were taken by surprise".

The couple were due to meet their 16 year old nephew from Seattle in Amsterdam before joining him on a flight to Orlando, but they have rebooked their trip for Sunday.

Despite the cancellation, Mr Harding said his family’s safety is "paramount". He added: "We’re frequent flyers and safety is absolutely paramount for me. You don’t want to jeopardise anybody or put anybody at risk."

Fellow holidaymaker Richard Green, whose 9.05am flight for Krakow in Poland has been delayed, said he "couldn’t see the apron" – the area where aircraft park, unload, refuel and are boarded by passengers – which was covered in a blanket of snow. The 25 year old from Wallsend said: "I was coming up on the Metro this morning, it was a bit of sleet, but it wasn’t bad."

"It was just as you were getting closer to the airport you could see the snow was starting to lie and then by the time I got into the departure lounge you could see the snow was getting really, really heavy. You couldn’t see the apron. You couldn’t see anything. It was just all white."

Mr Green said his flight had been delayed to 3.15pm and was waiting at the airport for further updates. Newcastle International Airport has declared that the runway was cleared by noon on Saturday and efforts are being made to prevent additional delays for its passengers.

Sharing an update on their social media platform, the airport communicated: "Due to Storm Bert there has been some disruption to flights this morning due to snowfall in parts of the UK, including Newcastle.

"Thanks to our hardworking snow team the runway has been cleared within an hour and the airport is operating as normal. Passengers are still advised to visit our website for the latest flight information and to contact their airline directly if they have any queries."

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