CHILDREN made the most of a day off school to sledge, build snowmen and throw snowballs.

With most schools in the area shut because of the weather youngsters headed for the nearest snow-covered slope.

Dozens took to he hills at Sutton Poyntz which provided a thrilling sledging run.

Jake Riley said: “It is brilliant. School’s closed to we came here and we will stay here until we get too cold and wet to carry on.”

In Bridport friends Lizzy Haggett, Dana Babic, both 15, and Carla Roach, 14, had a break from GCSE work at Colfox.

They found out at 7am from the school's website that they would not be going in.

Lizzy said: “I went back to bed.”

Dana said: “We’ve just been shopping and sledging. It’s nice to have a day off.”

Year 7 Colfox pupils Sydney March, Katie Paull, both 11, and Nyah Cormack, 12, spent the day playing outside and having snowball fights.

Sydney said: “We were up at 5am waiting to see if school was cancelled.”

Tina Follett brought three-year-old daughter Izzy to Coneygar for some sledging.

She said: “We didn’t really have any outside our house in St Swithin’s Road so we thought we would come up here. It’s been fun.”