VILLAGER Eileen Laidler today warned of a fatal accident waiting to happen on an icy road near her West Dorset home.

She called for quicker visits by gritting lorries and signs urging motor-ists to slow before the blackspot on the edge of Cattistock.

Her plea came after she spent a morning flagging down traffic to redirect it after a lorry and two cars became stuck on the road.

Mrs Laidler, 63, who lives in Meadow View with husband Joseph, said: "Someone is going to get badly hurt or be killed on the road.

"The road flooded and then froze over near Cattistock Lodge and Wallis Farm. A lorry skidded and became stuck one morning. A four wheel drive and a car then became stuck as they tried to get around it.

"The road was completely blocked and other drivers had to reverse back. Another driver and I spent half an hour directing traffic to stop it going through."

She added: "The gritting lorry needs to be out here sooner. Drivers reach the point before realising and it would be worse for people who don't know the road."

Mrs Laidler is a retired adult education teacher and is now a lay pastoral assistant. Her husband Joseph is a volunteer for the Dorset Ambulance Trust.

She warned that doctors and nurses at the surgery at Maiden Newton Surgery may have trouble reaching patients and elderly people in Cattistock and surrounding villages.

Malcolm Webb, Dorset County Council section manager for highway maintenance, said that a gritting lorry was due to visit Cattistock today. He added: "We have a designated set of routes which have been developed over many years based on national guidelines.

"They are sub-divided into priority one and two routes. Over the past few nights we have treated priority one and two routes, which should serve most communities."

"These include all A and B roads as well as important C class roads and some villages."

Cattistock was judged a priority three route, which the council was due to start gritting today.

The council's 23 lorries cover 1,000 kilometres on a priority one and two run.

Mr Webb added: "Not all roads can be treated.

"Motorists need to drive with due care and attention."