Game of Thrones: Social media goes into meltdown as H.B.O. release teaser trailer for season eight

Game of Thrones, much of which was filmed on location in Northern Ireland, returns for its eighth and final season on Sunday April 14.

The 71 second long clip is titled 'Aftermath' and going by what we can see it would appear it shows a deserted Winterfell - it's unclear whether what we are seeing is present day or in the past.

The trailer opens with a flag showing the dire wolf sigil of house Stark fluttering in the wind.

Winterfell is covered in snow and a lot of the buildings contained within the walls are in ruins.

The trailer then moves slowly across the snow revealing what appears to be the gold hand given to Jaime Lannister after his right hand was removed in season three.

The scene also shows what appears to be Daenerys Targaryen's mother of dragons and perhaps more significantly, Jon Snow's sword Longclaw which is made from Valyrian steel.

Longclaw lies plunged into the snow and for literally two or three seconds it appears that there is someone or something walking towards it.

It's at this moment the trailer ends.

Games of Thrones season eight will premiere on Sunday April 14.