People need not be afraid of clearing paths of snow if Norfolk is hit with another icy blast this winter, say councillors, keen to make it clear that citizens will not face legal action for doing so.

When a cold snap hit last winter, many paths remained covered by snow because people feared they could be sued if somebody fell on an area they had tried to clear.

But Norfolk County Council bosses and councillors are keen to get the message across that they encourage people to clear paths.

Graham Plant, cabinet member for travel and transport, said: “Last year there was a lot of worry about whether people could clear snow and that meant a lot of places were just left as they were.

“There is guidance from government which assures that if you clear paths responsibly you will not be at risk of legal challenge.

“I’d go further than that and say, if you live next to elderly neighbours or a family with small children, then you should clear their path for them. We are all part of the same society.”