20,000 local authority workers thanked for efforts during big freeze

An "army" of nearly 20,000 local authority workers worked to "kept the country moving" during the recent snow and ice, according to the County and City Managers Association (CCMA).

The workers helped distribute around 80,000 tonnes of salt across the country’s 5,500 kms of main roads using more than 300 salt spreaders and snowploughs during the icy spell. The thaw then brought new problems in the shape of burst pipes.