Noddy Colder and Gritmore Reans among new names of Wolverhampton's lorry fleet

The pun, referencing the chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, is among the eight names chosen by more than 3,500 people.

And a ninth lorry will be named after Malcolm Lewis who helped to maintain the city's roads for 20 years whilst working as a gritter driver.

Mr Lewis, who led a maintenance team, retired from full work with the council in 2014 but returned on a casual basis each winter to help out.

The popular great-grandfather died last October aged 71, with his colleagues wanting to name one of the new gritting lorries in tribute to him.

Councillor Steve Evans, cabinet member for city environment, said: "Malcolm was a stalwart of our highways maintenance team, hugely popular, a larger-than-life character. He worked on Wolverhampton's roads for two decades and even after he retired, he still wanted to come back each winter to do the gritting rather than put his feet up.

"It’s a tough job, when you consider the drivers are on-call from October through to April, they can be called out any time of the day and night, over Christmas and New Year and often in treacherous conditions.

"Malcolm didn’t mind that, he loved being part of the team and his colleagues loved him which is why they wanted to name one of the new wagons after him as a tribute."

Malcolm’s son Steve Lewis added: "He didn't like a fuss, but I do think my dad would be really proud to think one of the new gritters was being named after him, it's a really nice gesture. The tributes people have paid to him have been amazing.

"My dad worked so hard, he was a real grafter, like a machine. He was physically very fit and strong and he didn't look his age.

"I think that's why he carried on with the gritting after he retired, he always got on really well with the team at the council and he was happy to help out wherever he could. Wolverhampton has a really good reputation when it comes to gritting, I've never seen anywhere do it better and my dad was aware of that fact and liked being part of it.”

The other seven remaining gritting lorries include Ta ra a grit and Out of Darkness Cometh No Ice after Wolverhampton's motto Out of Darkness Cometh Light.

Others include Noddy Colder, Gritters Ay We, Gritmore Reans, Banks's Gritter and Nuno More Ice – after Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

Councillor Evans said: “I want to thank the thousands of people who voted, we’ve got some great names there which give a nod to Black Country phrases and heroes like Noddy Holder and Nuno the Wolves manager.

“There’s also a very topical one – Professor Chris Gritty – perhaps the first time in history people have voted to name something after the Government’s chief medical officer.

“It’s a bit of fun to put a smile on the faces of people during a difficult time, but there’s also a serious side to engage and bring the public closer to the work of the team who keep them safe each year.”

So far this winter, Wolverhampton’s team of gritters have been called out 52 times, gritting a grand total of 12,302 miles of road – that's the equivalent distance of half the way around the Earth.