MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK warning: another freezing night and icy Monday forecasted

Forecasters warned more snow is on the way to Great Britain and the Government widened the search for foreign road salt and one council started using table salt to grit its roads.

There is a risk of snow on Monday in parts of Wales, the Midlands and the north as rough weather moves across the country from the south west during the day. Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said Britain was bringing in salt from Italy and Tunisia as well as Spain and Germany, amid continuing concern over shortages. Gritters were sent out with table salt to treat roads in Gloucestershire late on Sunday afternoon. Stocks of rock salt have been running low forcing the county council to resort to ordering 500 tonnes of normal white salt. It was mixed with two thirds rock salt to be spread on 'A' roads. Forecasters predicted another cold night after Saturday night saw the lowest temperature reading of the winter so far. The mercury fell to minus 15.3C (4.5F) at Dalwhinnie in Scotland, beating the previous low of minus 13C (8.6F) at Altnaharra, also in Scotland, on December 30. Tom Tobler, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the weather division of the Press Association, said: "We expect another cold night, especially in Scotland, so people should be ready for icy conditions in the Monday morning rush hour. Wintry showers have been coming in from the west today but a lot of it so far has been rain. "It looks as though it will be worse tomorrow. We can expect strong winds and heavy rain from the south west tomorrow morning, and it could well turn to snow as it heads north over parts of Wales, the Midlands and north." News of the widening of the search for foreign salt was disclosed by Ms Blears in a TV interview. It was already known that salt was heading to Britain from Spain and Germany and she told the Sky News Sunday Live programme: "We are now buying in from abroad. I have just heard that we are getting some salt from Italy, there is a boat from Tunisia on its way.