It may still be 13 weeks to Christmas but residents are being asked to help clear potential heavy snowfall this winter.

Lambeth Council will be handing out free grit, shovels and high-visibility jackets to up to 300 snow wardens.

The volunteers will be tasked with helping to clear footpaths, alongside gritter lorries and council staff.

Councillor Lorna Campbell, cabinet member for environment and sustainability at Lambeth Council, said she hoped the initiative would give people "more power to make a difference in their local area".

She said: "This is a really good example of what we mean by making Lambeth a co-operative borough – empowering residents who want to get more involved in helping their community by giving them the tools to do so."

The council is stockpiling 750 tonnes of grit to prepare for the cold weather.

Bracing winters have previously caused chaos in the borough. In January last year, motorists were forced to abandon their cars in Gipsy Hill and Crystal Palace. Many schools closed and train lines also suffered severe disruptions.

In Gipsy Hill, dozens of vulnerable elderly people were stranded in their homes after icy pavements outside were not cleared for several days.

Weather forecasters are predicting an early start to winter this year, with a 36 per cent chance of a white Christmas.

Training sessions for snow wardens will be held during the weeks of October 10 and October 24.

To find out more about the scheme, call 020 7926 0524.

Potential volunteers can also email snowwardens@lambeth.gov.uk.