GOLCAR residents today finally had their electricity restored after 23 hours without power.

A major fault on the electricity network between Sycamore Avenue and Tintern Avenue cut power to most homes in Scar Lane from 5.10am on New Year's Day.

Power was restored at 4.40am today after engineers dug up the road in three places to carry out work.

Resident Judith Alderman said she was waiting to hear whether power would go off again or not, before restocking her fridge and freezer.

She said: "The central heating was off all day. We have an old coal fire that we don't normally use and had to break the coal shed door down because we had lost the key. It was so cold and from 3pm all we had were candles.

"We couldn't cook anything, everything in the fridge and freezer is ruined.

"We went to a friend's house for a shower and take-away and came home again at 9.30pm last night. They were digging up the road then, but power was still off. We had to sleep at a friend's house.

"It was awful. We were thinking of having a relaxing New Year's Day, not trying to keep warm. You don't realise how much you rely on electricity."

They were not alone, as power cuts caused by winter storms hit 51,000 homes from the Scottish Borders to Lincolnshire over New Year.

The area is covered by Yorkshire Electricity Distribution Ltd and Northern Electric Distribution Ltd.

Around 7,500 of their customers in Yorkshire lost power after 10.30pm on New Year's Eve after snow and ice accumulated on power lines.

Some of the affected areas in Kirklees included parts of Huddersfield, New Mill and Birdsedge.

This morning all supplies in the Huddersfield area were back on.

But around 1,693 YEDL and NEDL customers were still cut off - 700 of them in Yorkshire. The worst hit areas include Whitby, Northallerton and Malton, in North Yorkshire.

David Gill, of CE Electric UK, which owns YEDL and NEDL, said 200 eng- ineers had been working since New Year's Eve to restore electricity.

Mr Gill said: "We are hoping to get back on supply today and restore the majority of homes throughout the day.

"We have had to stand down 100 staff due to safety reasons. We have drafted another 100 in to carry on the work today."

Anyone still without power should call the emergency hotline 0800 668877.

As well as hitting power, the wintry weather caused problems on the roads.

The M62 motorway was barely passable for motorists on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day after snow drifts reduced it to just one lane.