PETROL pumps were running dry in Bromsgrove as the Advertiser/Messenger went to press after panic buyers flocked to the forecourts to fill up their tanks.

Queues began spilling onto the roads from garages across the town as early as Monday following news that fuel could be in short supply because of lorry blockades at depots.

The protesters are calling for Government to slash the price of petrol.

Lines of traffic came to a standstill on Monday afternoon at Safeway, at Buntsford Park Road, as cars queued along the by-pass for fuel.

The store had on Tuesday run out of all types of petrol and was saving its reserves for emergency services.

A worker there said she saw drivers putting four star fuel into cars running on unleaded petrol, which had run out on Monday.

At the Elf garage, at Rock Hill, the gridlock continued along Rock Hill late into Monday night as patient drivers waited their turn at the pumps.

As we went to press the garage had all types of fuel left but was expecting to run out last night.

Forecourt assistant Mark Fisher said: "We limited customers to £10 worth of petrol and if everyone had done this we wouldn't be in such a mess."

Its sister store, Elf, in Birmingham Road, Marlbrook, was set to run out of four star today.

Stoke Turn Filling Station, in Worcester Road, expected its four star fuel to stop flowing last night and, like the others, did not know when the next delivery would be made.