FUEL shortages are starting to bit deep in the north Cotswolds with fears for the region's health and social services.

There was hardly a petrol pump open anywhere in the region yesterday (Wednesday) after panic buying left most filling stations without fuel. Long queues stretched on to main roads outside many pumps on Monday and Tuesday and police reported one minor accident in a queue outside the Slaughter Pike station on Tuesday morning.

Some stations rationed customers, but still sold out, while others jacked up prices, prompting accusations of profiteering.

The Quarry filling station at Bourton-on-the-Hill pushed its prices over £1 a litre on Tuesday, leaving one customer fuming.

"There's no excuse for it," he raged. Another, Marc Friedman, of Chipping Campden, said: "This is only a small Cotswold community and why they feel the need to rip off the local people so badly in their real time of need is beyond me."

Manager Peter Berryman defended his actions, saying he was trying to preserve stocks for local residents and deter people travelling from miles away by opening and closing at random.

"I have had to employ more people to manage the queues," he said, adding: "I have still got to pay the rent for another three weeks, when we won't be getting any more fuel. We are trying to preserve what we have to serve locals. We could have sold out of fuel and gone on holiday.

"People have been complimenting us and 99.9% have just said 'Thank you very much,'." Emergency services say they are keeping a close eye on the situation and cutting back fuel use.

East Gloucestershire NHS Trust says it has problems with the supply of fresh food for staff and visitors' meals and is in talks with Gloucestershire Health Authority to ensure essential staff have enough fuel.

Gloucestershire County Council social services department says its main concern is the 2,500 people who receive home care and the 5,000 meals on wheels delivered weekly by the WRVS.

Domiciliary care manager Tina Reid said: "We are planning ahead for later in the week when it will get harder to reach people in outlying areas." Families and friends could help by checking up on vulnerable people, as some carers would be arriving late. Top priority is being given to the 800 people who receive three or four visits a day to help with meals, toileting and washing.

Schools across the area have stayed open, but county managers are reviewing transport on a daily basis.

Fosseway Housing Association says it is cutting services to conserve fuel and staff will only be coming out for emergency repairs. Its satellite offices in Moreton and Tetbury have also been closed temporarily.

Despite the chaos, the sympathies of many people in Moreton yesterday (Wednesday) lay firmly with the protestors. Mrs Vera Burke, of Longborough, said: "Fuel is far too expensive and I hope they win."

Londoner Jeffery Cooke agreed and added: "What I really do object to is that they (the Government) say the NHS would suffer if we took the duty off.

"That is total rubbish. It's emotional blackmail really."