CAPTAIN Gritter Pants is set to be seen on Helensburgh and Lomond’s roads this winter – thanks to a suggestion by a pupil at a Helensburgh school.

The name, put forward by Thomas Meikle of Colgrain Primary, was chosen as one of four winners in an Argyll and Bute Council competition to name four new gritters purchased to keep the area’s roads clear.

The four named gritters are among 17 new vehicles bought by the authority for its winter maintenance fleet.

The other winning entries were The Grittersaurus, suggested by Southend Primary in Kintyre, for Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the Islands; Vanilla Ice (Emily Hutchins of Strachur Primary, for Bute and Cowal); and Gritny Spears (Ayla Purfit of Salen Primary for Oban, Lorn and the Isles).

READ MORE: Pupils choose names for Argyll and Bute's new gritting lorries

The council’s executive director for infrastructure, Pippa Milne, said: “Along with my fellow judge, executive director Douglas Hendry, I was absolutely blown away with all the entries.

“We had a lot of fun looking through all the names and amazing drawings and we found it really difficult to choose winners.

“We are very grateful that our pupils took the time, and the effort, to come up with such wonderful ideas.”

“Everyone who took part is very talented and should be very proud.”

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