Meet Nicole Saltslinger: Oldham’s New Star Gritter Named After X-Factor Judge
Oldham Council has unveiled the winning name for their famous new gritter – Nicole Saltslinger. Inspired by former Pussycat Doll and X-Factor judge Nicole Scherzinger, this cheeky moniker has stolen the headlines nationwide.
Kids Battle to ‘Prove Their Salt’ with Clever Gritter Names
Thousands of cheeky primary school pupils across Oldham pitched their funniest, punniest names for the shiny yellow gritter. The entries snowballed from the initial trickle to hundreds, featuring gems like Gritney Houston, Spready Eddie, and even Andy Gritchie, nodding to a local footie legend.
The craze quickly gripped the nation, grabbing headlines on TV, radio, and every news website you can name. But it was 10-year-old Eve McGrath from Royton Hall Primary who aced it with the winning choice – a clever nod to her fave Saturday night TV star.
Nicole Saltslinger Joins The Gritter Dream Team
Eve was invited to the depot at Moorhey Street for a special ceremony to launch Nicole Saltslinger. She joins a star-studded fleet including Freddie Salted, Grittersaurus, Walter the Salter, and Gritney Spears, ready to keep Oldham’s roads safe and ice-free come snow season.
Council Praises Competition’s Huge Success
“Firstly we’d like to thank Eve for coming up with such a great name,” said Councillor Fida Hussain, Cabinet Member for Environment Services. “The competition took off brilliantly, capturing the imagination of Oldham and the whole nation.”
“We treated all the silly suggestions with a pinch of salt and had fantastic engagement – over 70,000 people got involved from a single tweet. Our hardworking gritter team are vital during snow and ice, so it’s great to add some fun while promoting road safety.”
With Nicole Saltslinger now on the road, Oldham’s gritters have never had more personality – or star power.
