Summer sun puts gritters on alert

Gritting lorries, a familiar winter sight, have been put on stand-by in Leicestershire due to the hot weather.

County council highways officials said a heatwave could soften road surfaces, making them more slippery and leading to ruts and potholes.

The gritting lorries have been filled with sand, which binds to the road surface, minimising damage.

Attention was being focused on rural roads and the situation constantly monitored, a spokesman added.

"Many rural roads across Leicestershire have evolved over the last 200 years from origins such as cart tracks," the spokesman said.

"They have varying age, quality and durability compared to the more modern road construction found on the county's main roads, towns and most villages and are particularly susceptible to heat damage."

Even if the lorries were not used this time, the council said, long-term forecasts for hotter weather meant they would be used more often.