GRITTING crews worked throughout the night to ensure priority routes on roads in Wrexham County Borough were kept as clear as possible as a result of heavy snowfall.

Residents woke up to a winter wonderland this morning (November 19) and while it pleased many, it has created hazards on the roads.

Cllr Terry Evans, lead member for environment at Wrexham Council, has expressed his thanks to those working tirelessly in these conditions.

He said: "Our gritting crews were out yesterday evening from 6pm, and continued to work throughout the night to ensure that the priority routes on our road network were kept as clear as possible. We are still working hard today to ensure these routes are kept clear as the snow has continued to fall. We are also being assisted in rural areas by agricultural and ploughing contractors.

Cllr Terry EvansCllr Terry Evans (Image: Wrexham Council and UGC)

"Throughout the night and this morning, the team have received a number of calls about fallen trees and other damage – which they will assess and prioritise in order of safety. During the night we cleared over 20 fallen trees, and were on hand to assist with a number of cars and lorries that had got stuck overnight.

"We will continue to respond to concerns as they arise and deploy our gritting crews as required later today. The forecast looks as though we have seen the last of the snow for today, however we’ll continue to monitor this closely, along with other factors like road surface temperature, and respond accordingly.

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"I would like to express my sincere thanks to our own teams and the contractors who work tirelessly in these conditions to ensure that we can keep roads clear, and ultimately keep residents safe; while most of us are at home keeping safe and warm. Our winter maintenance service is a significant operation which is on standby for 6-months of the year, ready to respond at a moments’ notice.

"As we have had crews working round the clock, we have made the decision to cancel the garden waste collections today, and will focus on recycling and general waste with the resources we have available.

"I would remind residents to remain cautious whilst travelling on the roads. Make sure you leave plenty of time for your journey, plan your route appropriately and check the weather conditions before you set off."

The Met Office has since extended the yellow weather warning for snow and ice until midday tomorrow (November 20), affecting parts of north Wales, including Wrexham and Flintshire.