CAMBRIDGESHIRE S gritters were out 11 times between Christmas Day and New Year s Eve to help motorists cope with the most severe weather of the winter so far. The county s fleet of 35 gritters laid a total of 2,500 tonnes of rock salt over the holiday sea

CAMBRIDGESHIRE'S gritters were out 11 times between Christmas Day and New Year's Eve to help motorists cope with the most severe weather of the winter so far.

The county's fleet of 35 gritters laid a total of 2,500 tonnes of rock salt over the holiday season at a cost of around £200,000, as temperatures plummeted to minus five degrees Celsius.

That lowest temperature was recorded on the A14 at Bythorn, in west Huntingdonshire, with the A10 at Littleport reading minus four degrees. Four inches of snow fell over the week.

The county council's maintenance engineer, David Groom, said: "No matter the weather or time of night, we have been out gritting the roads to make people's journeys as safe as possible.

"Although gritting is effective, it does not mean a road is completely clear of ice and motorists should take extra care.