A UNION has backed a councils's beleaguered gritters and said they suffered unjustified criticism during last week's freeze.

Ros Billingham, the branch secretary for the Transport and General Workers Union said Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council's gritting team had worked hard since the snow and ice set in on the Saturday before New Year.

Throughout the freeze, many people complained their roads were inadequately gritted until last Friday's rain came to the council's rescue and washed the ice away.

The man in charge of regeneration at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Ashley Whalley, has also defended the service and said £333,100 had been spent on winter maintenance.

He said four gritters operated around the clock and had scattered 1,475 tonnes of rock salt already since December.

Miss Billingham said this level of spending was much more than other councils' commitments to winter maintenance.

She said: "In addition, the number of grit bins have increased from 300 a few years ago to 334 now.

Many other councils do not provide this level of service," she said.

"Instead of the uninformed criticism and abuse, people should be praising the hard-working employees who provide an excellent service when most other people are tucked up in bed or enjoying the festive season with their families.

"Unfortunately, the council has yet to devise a strategy to control the weather."