NEWLY named gritters including Plougher of Scotland and Gritty Gritty Bang Bang are set to take to the roads this winter following a competition with school children, writes Darren Gibson.

Pupils were asked to name West Dunbartonshire Council’s appliances. S3 youngsters Ross Wardrop and Aimee Reid, who came up with the aforementioned monikers, joined hundreds of enthusiastic entrants.

Other winners include Darth Salter (Amy McColl, S5), The Gritonator (Sophie Deeley, P5), Auntie Slip (Alicia Glasgow, P5) and Gritty McGritterson (Eryn Fabiani, P7).

All six winning students were invited to Elm Road Depot in Clydebank along with councillors Iain McLaren and Marie McNair as well as council leader, Jonathan McColl, to see their names gritted in person and to receive a small prize.

Councillor Iain McLaren, convener of infrastructure, regeneration and economic development, said: “A big thank you to all the children who entered the competition, especially to our winners. “It was extremely difficult to pick just six names as so many of the entries made us laugh.

“It was great to see the pupils at the depot today who were so excited and enthusiastic about seeing the name they chose on a gritter, as well as getting the chance to see how the gritters themselves work.”