POLICE were tonight called in to help gritters beat the blizzards on the A1.

Officials asked for police help after gritters and snow ploughs became stuck in traffic jams.

Frustrated gritter crews said frantic motorists refused to budge - meaning roads remained blocked.

Police urged drivers to give way and treat gritters as if they were emergency vehicles - especially in rush-hour snow showers.

The call comes after a gritter became stuck in a traffic jam on the A1231 Washington Highway on Wednesday during a snowstorm.

It needed a police escort to resume work and vital treatment time was lost during the delay.

Tonight, in a bid to keep the region's busiest road open, police began setting up roadblocks to help the gritters get through.

Sunderland City Council has a fleet of 18 gritters that have been on 24 hour operations for the last three weeks and more than 12,000 tonnes of salt has been used for treating roads, streets and re-filling up salt bins.

Les Clark, Sunderland City Council's Head of Street Scene, oversees and co-ordinates Winter Maintenance work in the city.

He said: "I would urge drivers to treat gritters and snow ploughs like emergency vehicles and to let them pass. Gritting operations are delayed if these vehicles get stuck in traffic.

"Drivers should also treat every junction like a box junction to ensure that traffic can move as freely and smoothly as possible."

Police are tonight setting up rolling roadblocks on the A1(M) to allow gritters to grit the carriageway.

While the road had been cleared of earlier accidents, police were advising motorists to avoid the motorway as temperatures plummeted after nightfall.