DO your bit to keep pavements safe, say leading Swindon politicians.

Home and business owners are being encouraged to take responsibility not just for the steps to their property but also the stretch of pavement outside.

Council leader Rod Bluh is making sure his own section of pavement is ice free.

Coun Bluh said: “In the past, when this kind of weather was more common it was just accepted that people would take their share of responsibility for cleaning the street.

“It used to be a regular sight to see shopkeepers and homeowners clearing their section of the pavement and there’s no reason that couldn’t work now.

“Obviously for people who are elderly or not physically capable of doing that there is a reason, but it would be nice to see more people showing a sense of community spirit.

“If you clear the snow early on people don’t walk on it and it doesn’t turn into sludge.”

Deputy leader, and lead member for Street Smart, Coun Fionuala Foley, agreed that residents could play their part.

She said: “Obviously the council has a responsibility to keep the streets safe but if everyone did their bit the process would be a lot of faster and more effective. It would also be very helpful if people could clear any gulleys near their home.”

Coun Foley said that council staff had reacted well to the extreme conditions.

She said: “Because we have been unable to pick up waste and recycling since last Thursday we have had those workers helping to clear the roads, which has helped a lot.

“Highways workers have been left to concentrate on gritting and ploughing instead.

“Those workers will be resuming normal waste and recycling collections from tomorrow so I would ask people to be patient and to put out their bins and recycling boxes as usual.”

l A WOMAN wants to thank a mystery man who dug her trapped car out of deep snow.

Mollie Edward, 67, of Hunts Copes Cottages, Highworth, said without the Good Samaritan’s help she would have been stuck on Saturday with her dogs in Highworth Football Club’s car park.

She said: “I hadn’t left the house for three days previously, on my first day out I got stuck.

“The man drove a Volkswagen Golf, I know he lives in Highworth but that’s it. He was such a lovely man, I want to say thank you to him.”