It's exactly the same as last year - Monday and Tuesday were substitute bank holidays for Christmas falling on a weekend.

It's to the delight of millions of office workers who only need to use 3 days to get 6 days off work - Break up 23rd and return 3rd January (or the 4th for our friends across the border!)

Metro as ever is running its weekday service and in terms of local major events - Sunderland host Blackburn at 12.30pm (live on Sky) and Middlesbrough host Wigan further down South