Roads across Shropshire may have to be left ungritted as highways chiefs today said they were running out of salt because of the heavy snow.

Western parts of the county were hit by up to three inches of snow overnight as more of it fell than anyone expected, Shropshire Star weatherman John Warner said.

Millions of Britons faced treacherous icy conditions today as a week of severe wintry weather showed no sign of ending.

Temperatures in some parts of the UK will plunge as low as minus 10C tonight (14F), turning the country’s widespread snow patches into a slippery carpet of ice.

Desperate

Amid the arctic conditions Shropshire County Council and Telford & Wrekin Council have now joined forces in a desperate bid to deal with the national shortage of salt.

To conserve stocks, Telford & Wrekin has also decided to limit the amount of gritting taking place today and tomorrow morning to cover A and B roads, roads serving emergency service sites, and main bus routes.

Motorists were being warned of dangerous driving conditions on minor roads as well as major routes such as the M54, with millions of others across the country facing another day of disruption.

Stocks

In order to ensure that the supply of rock salt lasts until the new stocks are delivered, county council officials in Shropshire say they will concentrate their resources on treating the “defined” network of A and B roads and a few of high risk sites.

Problem areas on other minor roads will be treated as resources allow, the council said.

The council will resume a full-scale gritting programme tomorrow night and Monday morning when snow is forecast.

By Russell Roberts