Gritters out on South West roads as cold snap hits

Gritters have been sent out on Devon and Cornwall's roads as temperatures drop below freezing.

Devon County Council (DCC), Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council said gritting vehicles had been sent out on Thursday.

BBC Weather said temperatures were set to dip below 0C (32F) overnight into Friday ahead of a Met Office snow and ice warning covering areas of Devon in place from 12:00 GMT on Saturday until 23:59 on Sunday.

DCC said its gritters would cover 1,700 miles (2,736km) of roads in the county while Cornwall Council said it had activated it's "severe weather emergency protocol" to help rough sleepers.

DCC said along with gritters going out on Thursday, they would be sent out again at about 03:00 on Friday.

It advised motorists to allow extra time for their journeys and drive with care during the cold weather.

A social media post from Plymouth City Council's Plymouth Highways account said: "Our gritters will be out tonight covering both primary and secondary routes at 16:00 and 03:00."

Cornwall Council said on Facebook it would provide emergency accommodation for homeless people due to the cold weather and urged anyone concerned about a rough sleeper to get in touch.

Amber cold health alerts are currently in place for the whole of England.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issues the alerts when temperatures are likely to affect people's wellbeing, in particular those who are elderly or have health conditions.

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