The A34 was left to become an ice rink for cars in January 1979 when the area was hit by a gritting ban.

The trunk road fell under NUPE's selective ban on gritting and at the time Thames Valley Police hit out at the 'diabolical' road conditions.

Police said the stretch between the Peartree Interchange and Abingdon was 'like a skating rink' with cars 'slaloming all over the place going into each other or just missing each other'.

There had been a flood of minor crash reports and people were being told to avoid the A34 'at all costs'.

A permanent sign was erected to say 'Warning A34 Not Gritted'.