Gritter fan’s lorry-load of festive fun
A TEENAGE girl with learning difficulties has had her Christmas wish granted - by going out on a council gritter lorry.
Fifteen-year-old leigh Harrison, who Ashlives in the Johnstown area of Carmarthen, often sits at home and watches the lor- ries make their way past her house as they treat the roads in wintry conditions.
She even keeps an eye on the local weather forecasts so that she knows when to expect the lorries to come by.
This gave her family an idea.
They asked the council if Ashleigh could see the lorries up close. The council said they could go one better than that.
“I sent the email but didn’t think it would get anywhere,” admitted Ashleigh’s older brother, Elliott.
“We were chuffed when the manager got in touch to say they could arrange a visit.
“She loves seeing the gritters pass our house.”
Ashleigh, who is a pupil at QE High School’s Canolfan Elfed inclusion centre for children with additional needs, not only got to see the lorries, but got to go in one as well.
On her visit to the highways team depot in Johnstown, Ashleigh rode around in the gritter lorry and saw first-hand the work that goes into loading the vehicles every morning in icy conditions.
She was also given a giant soft toy bunny and a ‘Hi-Vis’ jacket as a memento of her day out.
“This is all she’s going to talk about for months and she will tell everyone at school about it,” added Elliott.
Ashleigh’s mother Helen says her daughter was delighted with her visit and thanked the council for granting her daughter’s wish.
“She was a big gritter fan before – now she’s a huge gritter fan,” she said.
“To say she was over the moon is an understatement; she loved every minute of it and loves her toy bunny, which she has called Gary.”
The lorry Ashleigh rode in is one of 21 winter maintenance lorries that treat hundreds of kilometres of highway in Carmarthenshire within three hours of a bad weather warning.
“We were so pleased to be able to make Ashleigh’s dream come true,” said councillor Hazel Evans, executive board member for environment.
“Our staff were delighted to meet Ashleigh and her family and had great pleasure showing her around the depot and the gritting lorries.
“I would like to thank everyone who helped make this happen.”