Cornwall Council salted the county's roads for the first time this winter last night. The council’s fleet of pre-salting lorries were out in the early evening and back on the roads again this morning as temperatures dropped to minus three degrees Celsius in some areas.

Cornwall Council is responsible for over 7,520 kilometres (4,530 miles) of road from major principal roads to narrow country lanes.

Highways staff are on stand-by 24 hours a day, seven days a week – including Christmas Day – so are able to respond to emergency situations at very short notice.

Graeme Hicks, Cornwall Council cabinet member for Highways, said: “Public safety is always of paramount concern and we do everything we can to provide as safe a passage as possible for users of the highway.

“This is an extremely important part of the council’s highways service and about £1 million a year is spent on keeping roads open and safe during the winter.”

Salting of roads is a precautionary treatment to reduce the freezing point of water in frosty conditions, reducing the possibility of vehicles skidding.

However, even on pre-treated roads salting will not stop heavy snow from settling and sleet, hail and rain can cause problems with the salt being washed off the road.

Cornwall’s highways department has warned that anyone who does need to travel in icy conditions should never assume a road has been salted and should be prepared for the conditions.

Extra time should be allowed for journeys and speed should be reduced.

It also recommended that motorists have warm clothes and emergency provisions in their vehicle.