PARKED cars began sliding on ice during treacherous conditions in Hexham's main car park.

A local councillor said he had received complaints about the Wentworth car park resembling an ice rink, on Monday morning.

Northumberland County Council, which manages the site, insisted gritting teams had been out from 4am, but snow followed by rain and re-freezing caused "something that we have experienced before."

Speaking on Monday, Hexham town councillor Derek Kennedy, who also represents Hexham West on the local authority, said: "I've had compliants today that the council owned Wentworth car park hexham is like a giant skating rink.

"I've heard reports that some parked up cars were starting to slide on the ice into one another."

Coun. Kennedy said the car park, which is used by customers of the neighbouring Waitrose supermarket, as well as by workers and visitors to the town, needed to be well gritted as a priority.

However, he acknowledged that roadway areas within the car park were safe, while the parking areas were hazardous with black ice.

A county council spokeswoman said that cars parked overnight would not have benefited from the salting.

She explained: "Wentworth car park was treated as part of our precautionary gritting run from 4am on Monday.

"During that morning we experienced showers of rain and subsequent re-freezing, followed later by thawing as the temperatures improved.

"Gritted areas need vehicle movement to activate the salt, so any bays that had cars parked up overnight would not benefit from the precautionary salting, and we have had reports that when ice started to melt a small number of cars, in certain bays, did move slightly which isn't something that we have experienced before.

"Main town centre car parks are a priority for gritting and salting and we do therefore return to these areas during prolonged winter weather or where requests are made to undertake further treatment when necessary."

Meanwhile, Hexham town councillor Cath Homer, who represents Hexham East on the county council, said gritting teams did their best to keep roads and pavements in Hexham safe.

Coun. Homer said: "Gritters were out on Sunday night, and at 2am and 5am on Monday morning.

"The teams have been working day and night for over a week during the cold snap.

"They are doing all they can, but I understand that conditions have been treacherous and I would therefore urge the public to take extra care.

"Please let us know if you see a grit bin that is getting empty."