REDDITCH has been thrown into chaos as the blockade of the town's main fuel supplier continues.

The situation is reaching crisis point after most petrol stations announced they had run dry - with no indication of when the next fuel delivery will be.

Hundreds of desperate drivers have been queuing for miles at the few remaining petrol stations with fuel left, after the Kingsbury refinery in Staffordshire was blockaded on Monday.

Health, the emergency services and schools have all expressed fears about the knock-on effect of the crisis.

Urgent meetings have been called at the Alexandra Hospital to implement contingency plans to deal with possible staffing problems.

A hospital spokesman said: "We have an emergency plan if this does continue and we have problems of staff getting to work. We will look at things such as car sharing and shift times."

Redditch ambulance crews have been told to suspend all non-emergency calls and Redditch Community Health Council is concerned it will have a knock-on effect on outpatient waiting times at the hospital.

Doctors' home visits may also be hit and many are worried about the increased pressure this will have on the ambulance service.

Dr Simon Parkinson, of St Stephen's Surgery, said: "There are no special arrangements for us getting fuel and we are concerned about it because patients will not get visits."

Redditch Primary Care Group has approached Worcestershire Health Authority to ask what would happen to GP services.

PCG chief officer Sue Jenkins said: "Several GPs have less than a quarter of a tank and it's getting to the stage where they will not be able to go out on visits.

"If patients can't access GP services and they feel they need urgent attention, they will call the ambulance out."

Redditch paramedic Frank Knight said three petrol stations had kept reserves for them but there were no other special arrangements.

He said: "The Government has given permission to safeguard supplies for emergency services and at the moment, we are getting our fuel supply from certain petrol stations in Redditch."

He added: "We will last another two days the way things are now but if they get worse, emergency plans will have to be put in place."

The police and fire services, which also have fuel supplies, are monitoring the situation and have contingency plans in place.

Redditch schools have been put on red alert by the county council's education department and could close down if the crisis continues.

Webheath First School headteacher John Gooding said: "If staff run out of fuel we will try to make other arrangements to get them here, such as public transport.

"But closure might be an option if not enough staff can get here to make it safe."

Redditch Council has some fuel reserves for refuse and landscaping vehicles but will be forced to review the situation in the next few days if the crisis continues.

Despite causing frustration for hundreds of townsfolk, many people were still supportive of the farmers' and truck drivers' protest.

Webheath driver Hellen Tench faced a two-mile queue at Safeway at 6am yesterday and has now decided to walk to work and car share.

She said: "I do agree with the protest because it will benefit everyone if the cost of fuel is reduced but it is in an inconvenience."

Sue Browning, from Batchley, said: "I do agree with what the protestors are doing.

"I think we should be paying European prices for everything. I am sick of being ripped off in this country."

"I think we should be paying European prices for everything. I am sick of being ripped off in this country.