A Covid-19 testing site had to shut for two hours as cold and icy weather hit the region.
Testing at the Newcastle site was put on ice on Thursday morning after temperatures plunged overnight.
The North East has been battered with snow and frost in recent days on the back of Storm Darcy.
And the cold snap was reportedly too much for the toilet's pipes to take.
One staff member claimed a frozen toilet meant some of the 40-50 staff working had to queue to use another facility.
However a spokesperson for the site's operator Sodexo said another block was available - which included three cubicles and a urinal.
But the mishap meant that two hours worth of testing slots fell victim to the cold snap, which has seen temperatures drop to as low as -8C in Newcastle.
“The safety of our staff and those who visit the testing site are our utmost priority," said a spokesperson.
"Due to the cold weather the site did not open until 10am.”
The testing site, at the Great Park and Ride, usually opens from 8am. It opened last May after testing was increased.
And the North East is set to warm up during the next week, after a chilly few days in which snow coated the region.
Sledgers have been out in force on the Town Moor, with Northumbria Police officers dispersing crowds.
Earlier this week, social media footage showed a huge group of revellers partying on Cow Hill.
And temperatures dropped so much on Thursday evening that icicles formed on the Central Motorway.
