Big freeze to continue for another week

Britain's Big freeze is set to continue for at least another week — as a Shropshire councillor called for the county's grit to be dyed a bright colour to prevent people stealing it.

The Arctic conditions show no signs of letting up with temperatures plummeting to below freezing again last night and some parts of the county, including Oswestry and Bridgnorth, experiencing further snowfall.

Temperatures are expected to rise above freezing during daytime this weekend, but there are Met Office warnings of icy roads and freezing fog covering much of the UK.

Forecasters today predicted the extreme weather could drag on for another 10 days. Temperatures in Shropshire are expected to fall to as low as -5C (23F) tonight and -8C (17.6F) overnight tomorrow.

With teams of gritters working round the clock to ensure the county's roads are safe, Councillor Miles Kenny, Shropshire Council ward member for Underdale in Shrewsbury, today said brightly coloured dye should be used on the authority's grit stocks to deter people stealing it from public boxes to cover their own driveways.

He said: "We had a number of incidents happening last year where people were using grit to cover their own driveways.

"Some of the grit bins emptied very quickly last year and we can't afford for that to happen this year. One solution is to dye the grit with a bright colour, so it's clear if someone is shovelling it on their own driveway. We could have it in the colours of the county — blue and yellow."

Transport Secretary Philip Hammond yesterday summoned Government chiefs for an emergency weather meeting to "stocktake" and discuss preparations for the weekend.

Though the worst of the snow has fallen, temperatures remain low for the time of year and rain is set to make Britain's frozen roads and pavements even more dangerous.

Aisling Creevey, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, said: "It's going to be really cold into the next 10 days."

Rain showers are expected to move in to England and Wales.