Bin collections across Norwich stopped today due to freezing weather conditions.

The city council said normal collections would start again 'as soon as possible'.

The decision to suspend bin collections was taken after crews and vehicles ran into difficulties on Tuesday.

Problems included:

•Frozen food waste getting stuck in vehicles, leaving a number of bin trucks out of action

•Hydraulics on vehicles freezing, preventing bins from being emptied

•Risk of bin trucks getting stuck in side roads and blocking traffic

•Difficulties posed to bin crews collecting heavy wheelie bins in icy conditions.

Councillor Keith Driver, cabinet member for waste and recycling, said: 'We have made this decision given the weather conditions over the past two days and the forecast for the coming week.

'Given the problems presented by the unusually severe weather and freezing temperatures, it is just not possible, practical or safe to run our service today but we will make every effort to resume our normal collections as soon as possible.

'In the meantime, we are making the best use of our bin and street cleaning crews, who are busy keeping the city safe by gritting and clearing snow.'

Bin and street cleaning crews are now helping Norfolk County Council with gritting.

They will be clearing snow and gritting foot paths around sheltered housing complexes, gritting pavements around the Memorial Gardens and gritting the bridge to St Andrew's multi-storey car park.

The council's 280 grit bins are also currently being refilled.

All the city council's grit bins can be seen by logging on to www.norwich.gov.uk and clicking on gritting roads and paths from the A-Z list at the top of the page.

•Report any empty grit bins to highways@norwich.gov.uk or by emailing info@norwich.gov.uk.