BBC radio presenter Zoe Ball admitted she was "absolutely speechless" after a Stevenage gritter was named in her honour.

The Radio 2 Breakfast Show host has become obsessed with the names given to gritters up and down the country, and was left stunned when Hertfordshire County Council’s Highways Team unveiled the name Snowy Ball for one of their machines.

Breakfast Show traffic and travel reporter, Richie Anderson, was at the Coreys Mill gritting depot to make the big reveal to Zoe - who had no idea this was about to happen.

"I am absolutely speechless. I can’t really believe it. I’ve got a gritter named after me," she said.

The Comet: Zoe Ball was stunned by the news a gritter had been named after her.Zoe Ball was stunned by the news a gritter had been named after her. (Image: PA Images/PA Wire)

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"Do you know what? I want to go to Stevenage and ride in Snowy Ball.

"I’m completely flummoxed, I don’t even know what to say. Unbelievable scenes. 

"See, who needs an honorary degree when you can have a gritter named after you? I'm absolutely made up."

The surprises didn't end their, as Richie got a gritter of his own, with a smaller Hertfordshire Highways vehicle renamed Grit-chie Anderson.

"I know how people must feel when they get MBEs," he joked. 

"I can’t believe my name, it's not in lights, but it's in black paint on the side of a van. And I love it. I’ll have to do what royalty do and christen it with a bottle of champagne.

The Comet: Richie described the honour of getting his own gritter as like getting an MBE.Richie described the honour of getting his own gritter as like getting an MBE. (Image: Hertfordshire County Council)

"I can’t believe it. I feel really emotional. Thank you so much everyone. It means so much, thank you everyone."

Cllr Phil Bibby, executive member for highways and transport at Hertfordshire County Council, added: "It’s been a real pleasure to have Richie at the depot today, showing him how our gritting teams treat the county’s road network.

"We know the roads matter to our residents and they matter to us too, which is why we’re with you this winter, with our gritting teams on standby 24/7 from October 1 until April 30, treating over 1,550 miles of Hertfordshire’s roads."