Why has Shropshire Council had gritters out this week?

Gritter lorries have been out and about on the county's roads to spread sand as the asphalt 'melts' in the heat <i>(Image: Paul Campbell/PA)</i>
Gritter lorries have been out and about on the county's roads to spread sand as the asphalt 'melts' in the heat (Image: Paul Campbell/PA)
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While it's been incredibly hot this week, you could still be forgiven for thinking you were hallucinating if you saw a gritter lorry out on the roads.

But trust us, you weren't because Shropshire Council has to deploy them to help protect our roads.

Normally, the gritter lorries would only be out when temperatures plunge to keep them safe and stop them from freezing over.

But as temperatures soared over the last few days they were called up as the asphalt on our roads started to 'melt'.

So in stepped the council's Highways Team to cover affected roads with dust to protect the road surface.

A council spokesperson explained: "Due to the extreme heat some of our recently surface dressed roads have started to 'melt'.

"As a result our gritters - and their drivers - will be heading out to treat the affected areas with either sand, or a mixture of sand and grit."

It's not surprising as Shropshire has been the subject of an amber weather warning for extreme heat since Wednesday which ends at midnight tonight.

And it's not just the roads that have felt the impact of the heat. Transport for Wales has confirmed the heat has impacted its services, while some schools across the county closed on Thursday.

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