Temperatures dipped as low as -13°C in Angus during the month-long freeze, creating a multitude of problems for the local authority as they battle to keep the roads open and safe.

While the council's infrastructure services department has already had to find funds for an extra 1,300 tonnes of salt to keep the county's roads open, the sub-zero conditions are also causing the surface of the roads to deteriorate at a rapid rate.

Pot holes old and new are forming and cat's eyes ion the surface of main roads have been forced out in some areas. The damage is caused by water expanding when it freezes, forcing tarmac apart and loosening the surface.

And with more frosty conditions forecast, that could create a new list of repairs and an extra strain on council coffers.

The convener of infrastructure services, David May, said: "Obviously, the road surface will be will be quickly monitored as soon as the snow and ice disperses.

"It is clear that the weather has been so prolonged and it has had an effect on the street surfaces.

"Some pot holes that have recently been repaired are up again and the repairs required will have an effect on the budget.

"What we do is audit the roads and prioritise the repairs. That's the first thing to do.

"Unfortunately, it is impossible to know when the weather will break to allow us to do that. The thaw we're seeing today (Monday) has just started. It would be wonderful if this was the thaw and that was it, but at the moment we don't know if the weather will take another turn."

Where the money will come from though is another matter. While the roads department paid to replenish its salt stocks, some of the repairs will have to be paid for from their contingency fund, while the cash for other repairs may not become available until the next financial year.

Mr May said: "We do have a contingency fund and that's what it is there to look at.

"We are coming up to the budget setting time of year and, as part of that process, priorities are considered and various bids will be put in. This is the time that this will be done.

"Although we project our costs in advance, sometimes there's no accounting for what can happen. This year has been much worse than previous years."

The Alliance councillor for Montrose did pay tribute to the efforts made by the staff of the council's roads department though, saying they had made a big difference to the streets.

He said: "It is much worse this year than it has been, but the roads' staff have done a fantastic job in the circumstances.

"I was speaking to the head of roads and the people who are normally deployed for litter collection have been redeployed for the dispersal of grit and salt.

"The grit bins all should be fairly full now and that's a great effort."