A STAGGERING 4,500 tonnes of grit were used on Lancashire's roads between December 28 and January 3.

Much of this went on areas outside the urban core, which is the responsibility of the county council.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "We have been gritting the priority routes continuously to try and clear the priority network -- 1,600 kilometres of road in Lancashire.

"The priority routes are A and B roads and some other roads, which we aim to get clear first because they carry the most traffic.

"The motorways are done by the Highways Agency. All council areas and district council agents have been salting the priority network at least once a day and when it was clear continued to treat some of the remaining network during daylight hours, although refreezing of these roads has been a problem."

In Brindle milk went to waste at a farm because a tanker could not get through the icy conditions.

The county council said the main road through Brindle had been salted three times.

After it found out about the problems with the milk, salt was put down again.