Grit bins in Wiltshire are being depleted of grit as members of the public use it to salt their driveways.

Wiltshire Council highways manager Graeme Hay said the grit was there for communities to put on roads and footpaths and should not be used on private property.

My Hay said the problem was widespread but Great Bedwyn and Cherry Orchard in Marlborough were particularly badly affected. He said: "The parish council in Great Bedwyn has contacted us to say there was a lot of grit on private drives and forecourts and very little on the roads."

There are 1,400 grit bins in Wiltshire which can contain 350 to 400 tonnes of salt.

Mr Hay urged people to use grit from the bins sensibly.

He said: "I don't think people are acting maliciously when they put grit on their driveways but we can't keep up with the demand.

"It has been put on private driveways in huge concentrations. The salt in the bins is there to enable people to shovel a bit of salt about on roads or footpaths and we are really grateful to people who do that."