A council has launched a competition to come up with the best name for two new gritters.

Blackburn with Darwen Council said gritting teams will be on standby from Monday, October 28, in anticipation of ice, sleet and snow. 

The team of gritters travel up and down 165 miles of road in the borough, salting and snow clearing to keep traffic moving during the cold weather.

This year two new orange gritters will join the team.

People are being asked to send their suggestions to highways@blackburn.gov.uk with the subject line: Gritter Naming Competition.

The competition closes on Wednesday, October 16.  The Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Councillor Brian Taylor will choose the two winning names. 

For some inspiration you might want to take a look at some of Scotland’s most famous gritters, which have been handed named such as ‘Yes Sir, Ice Can Boogie”, ‘Buzz IceClear’, IRN-BRU’s ‘Grits You Thru’ and Tunnock's ‘Caramelt Wafer’.

First starting within local schools, the naming appeal in Scotland moved online in 2020, opening the competition to the wider public.

Some other names paid tribute to Scottish superspy James Bond and included ‘Dr Snow’, ‘Coldfinger’, ‘You Only Grit Ice’, ‘On Her Majesty’s Slippery Surface’ and ‘TroonRaker'.

Other favourites are ‘Freeze Witherspoon’, ‘Gritney Spears’ and ‘Snowing me, snowing you’.