‘Knitty gritty’ work pays off for East Preston’s Olivia

But now, one East Preston girl can join the roster of winners of the annual Name a Gritter competition.

Year-six East Preston Junior School pupil Olivia Bird was announced as one of the winners of the West Sussex-wide competition, with her entry, ‘Knitty Gritty’.

Olivia, who celebrated her 11th birthday on Wednesday (December 11), was presented with her prize – a big yellow gritter – last week, when it arrived at her school.

The youngster was visibly shocked when competition organisers from Balfour Beatty broke the news of her success.

She said: “I was really surprised it was me because I know lots of people had entered.

“The gritter was really cool. I didn’t really know how big it was and I was surprised by its massive exhaust pipe.”

As well as naming a gritter, Olivia also won £20 in vouchers, which was presented to her by Edward Baldwin, of Balfour Beatty.

She was one of three winners, with other entries including ‘Gritter Bug’, from Durrington First School and ‘Snow Buster’, from William Penn School, in Horsham.