COUNCIL chiefs across Gwent are gritting roads today in preparation for the expected drop in temperatures tonight.

And people are packing out the aisles of Gwent supermarkets stocking up on essentials such as bread, milk, eggs, and even salt and yeast.

One Gwent supermarket was so busy with people panic buying yesterday that they sold out of milk and almost sold out of bread.

Manager of Cwmbran's Asda supermarket Mike Hebson, said: "A lot of people have been panic buying over the weekend. We have completely sold out of milk and we are quickly selling out of bread.

"We are expecting the situation to get even worse by the end of the week so we have ordered plenty of extra bread and milk."

Leigh Todd, deputy manager of Somerfield in Blackwood, said: "The store has been much busier than usual. Demand for fresh produce, such as milk, eggs and bread, are much higher than normal. I think people are definitely worried about what is going to happen if there is severe weather."

In Pontypool, Tesco Metro store was packed all weekend with people snapping up milk and bread.

Manager Chris Bolt said: "The weather is the only thing people are talking about. We have had to increase our cold weather lines and essentials because we don't know what's going to happen."

The latest Met Office forecast shows Gwent is due to be hit by sleet and wet snow tomorrow, with temperatures at minus 3 degC.