Aberdeen City Council responded as local authorities across the country faced criticism from taxpayers over the state of the roads.

Glasgow City Council issued a statement on social media detailing its gritting work in the face of the "most challenging winter conditions since 2010/11".

But dozens of people commented by criticising the council, warning that streets had been left like "ice rinks".

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Facebook pages of North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire were also inundated with complaints about the conditions of the roads and pavements.

Aberdeen City Council claimed it was doing its best to ensure road and footpaths are safe following hundreds of hostile comments on its Facebook page.

A video of council refuse collectors slipping on ice also went viral on the internet.

Councillor Ross Grant, Aberdeen City Council’s transport and regeneration spokesman, said: “We are receiving a high volume of enquiries, requests and complaints in relation to roads and pavements and it is not possible to respond immediately to all of those individually.

"Despite the ongoing efforts, clearly there are areas in which paths and roads remain affected by snow and ice. We would urge road users and pedestrians to be cautious whilst these issues persist.

“Today we have 15 gritters treating carriageways, 17 mini-tractors on footways across the city being serviced by a further five pick-ups providing salt. We are working to ensure grit bins in communities are filled regularly.”

Pointing out they had a huge number of gritters out and about on the Granite City’s streets clearing snow and ice, he added: “We understand the frustrations being expressed by members of the public.”

Although some of the hundreds messages merely the city’s roads and pavements are like ‘skating rinks’ a council source said: “Some are just abusive.”

One Facebook user posted:  “You walk on the icy pavements your [sic] dicing with death.”

Another added: “Once again Aberdeen city council fail to keep roads and pavements clear.  Both the roads a pavements are like skating rinks.”

Others took to Twitter to post pictures of ice-covered pavements. 

Meanwhile, NHS Tayside said it had been experiencing exceptional demand idue to widespread icy conditions across the region resulting in a sharp increase in the number of slip and trip injuries.

A significant number of patients have been attending the Accident and Emergency departments in Ninewells and Perth Royal Infirmary with broken bones following the recent wintery weather.

Accident and Emergency Consultant Dr Michael Johnston, said, “Our emergency departments have seen a significantly higher than normal number of patients over the last couple of days, mostly attributed to falls caused by the icy conditions.

 “We would advise people who do need to venture out when the weather is wintery to dress warmly, wear sensible shoes with a good grip and to take care when walking on icy surfaces.”

It came as temperatures were due to plunge as low as minus five degrees centigrade in some parts of the country.

Most areas will see sub-zero conditions at some point before the weather improves next week.