IT may only be September but Bournemouth council is already getting ready for winter by stockpiling a mountain of grit.

The council has taken receipt of several deliveries in the past week and now has up to 1,800 tonnes in stock at its Southcote Road depot – twice the amount that was used last winter.

Last winter, which saw Britain gripped by freezing temperatures and heavy snow, saw Bournemouth council grit the roads on 44 separate occasions. The council has four gritting lorries ready to use on key routes.

Cllr Michael Filer, cabinet member for transport, cleansing and waste, said: “Once again we are fully prepared for any adverse weather this winter.

“Over the last few days we have had a number of deliveries to ensure we have enough road salt in stock to help us keep the roads gritted and keep traffic moving.

“Our staff are on 24-hour standby, seven days a week throughout the whole of the winter to ensure Bournemouth’s roads are safe for our residents.”

At Poole, the council received 470 tonnes of salt in August and has 900 tonnes stockpiled.

Barry Sparkes, Streetscene manager at the Borough of Poole, said: “We continuously monitor our stock levels throughout the winter period to ensure we can keep our road network clear.”