Your chance to name Lancashire's new gritters as they join Auntie Freeze, Melton John and the rest of the crew

Ten new gritters will be helping to keep Lancashire’s roads safe and clear this winter, but there is one vital thing they each need before they embark on their first salt-spreading missions - a suitable name.

The recently arrived and instantly recognisable big yellow machines are going to be christened in the same way as their counterparts, who all have their own quirky monikers printed on each door.

Now, Lancashire County Council is asking members of the public to suggest winter-themed, road-related names for the newest members of its gritting fleet.

The authority is hoping residents will be as inventive as the brains behind previous suggestions such as Aunty Freeze, Basil Salty, Cool Grittania and Melton John.

County Coun Warren Goldsworthy, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Lancashire was one of the first councils to start the tradition of giving names to our gritters a number of years ago.

"Our gritters are among our hardest-working vehicles, helping to keep our roads safe through the toughest winter conditions.

"We retired some of our existing vehicles at the end of last season - and with ten new gritters entering the fleet this winter we'd like people to come up with some good names for them.

"Our highways teams do an incredible job of keeping Lancashire's main routes open whatever the weather, often working throughout the night over what can be a very long winter from October to April.

"Seeing a gritter go by on a freezing night is a reassuring sight for everyone - and I'm sure that spotting the name on the door of the cab raises many smiles."

The county council is responsible for gritting around a third of the 4,300 miles of roads in Lancashire. These 1,500 miles make up the priority gritting network, which can be treated within four hours whenever a freeze is forecast for the whole county.

NAME A GRITTER

You can nominate a name for one of Lancashire's new gritters on the county council's website here , by commenting on one of the authority’s Facebook posts about the competition at facebook.com/lancashirecc, or by writing to: Name a Gritter competition, Communications, Lancashire County Council, County Hall, Fishergate, Preston, PR1 8XJ.

All suggestions must be received by 31st October and names to be avoided - as they are already in use - are: Albert Icestein, Aunty Freeze, Basil Salty, Bobby Snowball, Captain Snow, Cool Grittania, Freddie Frostoff, Freezy Rider, Gritter Garbo, Ice Buster, Margritt, Melton John, Penelope Gritstop, True Gritter, Sir David Attenbrrrrgh, Snow Be Gone Kenobi, Snowella De Ville, The Winter Sprinter, Wall-ice and Gromit.