COUNCIL staff were disappointed with the turnout after only 16 people signed up to become snow wardens on Saturday morning.

Staff at Southend Council’s new salt depot in Short Street were handing out ice busting packs to volunteers who had come forward to help keep their neighbourhoods clear as the wintry weather descends.

However, although the depot had enough grit and shovels for 250 people, only 16 had visited to collect the equipment by lunchtime on Saturday.

Lee Clark, an administrator at the depot, said: “We had 16 people turn up this morning, which was not quite the number we were expecting. We have enough stocks for 250 people, but we were hoping at least 50 volunteers would turn up.”

As well as grit, visitors were also presented with a shovel and the free ice busting pack.

The volunteers had to have a borough address and to sign an undertaking that they would help their community.