Staffordshire's army of gritters are once again ready for action as winter officially starts in the county.

The county council's winter crews and fleet of 40 plus gritters and snow ploughs have all been put through their paces and are ready for action for when the temperatures drop.

Road conditions, weather and temperatures are being monitored from nine stations across the county and the team of Winter Decision Makers will make the call as to when and where to send out the gritters.

And with five depots primed for action, 20,000 tonnes of salt stockpiled and hill contractors ready in the higher ground, teams are well prepared for whatever the winter decides to throw at them.

David Williams is the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at the county council and said: "Operation Snowflake is when we put crews and gritters through their paces to ensure they are ready to go when the bad weather hits.

"It's an important exercise that ensures we are all well prepared for any adverse weather conditions and to make sure we're able to keep the county safely on the move.

"On a typical day, crews will be out largely on the main roads but in prolonged ice or snow, they will be pulling out all the stops to treat less major routes across the network.

"The higher ground, particularly in the Staffordshire Moorlands, often takes the brunt of any snowfall but our hill contractors are ready for any challenges.

"I know our crews will be doing all they can to keep roads clear and moving but we do need drivers to do their bit too.

"This means, regardless of whether a road has been gritted, always drive to the conditions, slow down and allow extra time for journeys."

Staffordshire also has an effective community of Ice Busters who play their role by clearing local paths and areas that gritting crews can't get to.

Any groups interested in getting involved should get in touch with the council's highways team on 0300 111 8000.