Students at a West Somerset school were delighted to welcome ‘Gritty Gritty Bang Bang’., the gritter they named.

Somerset Council and its highways contractor Kier held a competition for local schools to name two new road gritters which have joined the fleet.

About 30 names were submitted, six names were short-listed and the boys’ secondary school, Brymore Academy’s ‘Gritty Gritty Bang Bang’ was one of the two winning entries decided by public votes.

The newly named gritter paid an honorary visit to the Cannington school and pupils were able to take a closer look at the vehicle which will be helping keep the county’s roads safe this winter.

Headteacher at Brymore Academy, Stefan McHale, said: “We were all very excited to meet Gritty Gritty Bang Bang. The pupils loved it and were extremely interested in the vehicle, especially those with a keen interest in farming and mechanics.

“As a school that prides itself on a rounded education, including lots of room for hands on subjects, it was such a fantastic opportunity for our boys to see this unique piece of machinery up close, to see real-world applications of agriculture and heavy machinery, and to have that affinity with it after having the chance to name it.

“We really enjoyed having ‘Gritty’ on site and the tutor group who named it and their tutor, Miss Rundle, have been very excited about seeing it in real life. We are grateful to Kier and Somerset Council for allowing them all the opportunity to explore the gritter and even climb aboard!”

The other winning name – Spready Mercury – came from West Pennard Primary School, near Glastonbury.

Councillor Richard Wilkins, Somerset Council’s Lead Member for Transport and Waste, said: “We are excited to welcome Gritty Gritty Bang Bang into the gritter fleet. The road-gritter teams are essential and carry out heroic work to keep our roads safe and we hope to see it in action ‘toot-sweet’.

“It’s great for an agricultural school to be involved in naming one of our new sparkling heavy machines to the highways team.

“A big thank you goes to all the schools for their great suggestions and everyone who took part in the voting.”

Allan Rigby, General Manager for Kier, said: “Our operatives work really hard to ensure the roads are gritted to make them safe for everyone in Somerset. Engaging young minds in projects like this fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation for the heavy machinery that keeps our community safe.

“I was delighted with the humorous entries that came in and to be able to help choose the winning names was the cherry on top for me.”

“Gritting is important during icy months as it helps keep roads safe and reduces weather-related disruptions, whether you’re heading to school, work, or appointments.”

If you see road gritters out, then be patient and be safe. Follow @TravelSomerset on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook for live gritting updates, travel, roadworks and other highways news.