Ref. 30749-35AN EARLY filling-up flurry by drivers sparked fears of panic buying at several Swindon garages yesterday.

During yesterday's early morning rush hour several petrol stations reported queues of cars with some drivers filling jerry cans of fuel.

Pauline Jeans, who works at the Esso garage on Swindon Road, Stratton, said: "People are definitely buying extra fuel, I had to stop one man filling up jerry cans this morning, he was was just being greedy.

"I remember during the last fuel crisis we had to limit people to £5 of fuel only."

According to motor insurance firm, Churchill, as many as 70 per cent of motorists would support fuel blockades like those seen in autumn 2000.

The survey also found that 61 per cent of motorists were taking some sort of measures to protect themselves from a fuel crisis.

Actions included stocking up on groceries, filling spare fuel tanks to keep in cars and always ensuring that the car fuel tank was full.

The feelings of Swindon drivers were mixed, but all agreed, that the continuing rise in petrol prices was a problem.

Sabrina DeLozario, 26, a housewife from Penhill, supported the idea of strikes.

She said: "Last time there was a petrol crisis I was working and had to queue for three or four hours to fill up.

"The way prices are at the moment, its going to happen again, so I think I would only use the car in an emergency."

Julie Simpson, 33, a cashier from Cricklade, said: "Petrol is far too expensive in this country when you look at America and see that it is only 36 pence a litre there.

"The government is taking enough. I can put £15 of petrol in and it hardly makes any difference."

Julie Vines, 31, a nurse from Kingshill, said: When we had the last fuel strike it was okay because we could walk to work at the Princess Margaret Hospital, but now with the hospital out of town, a fuel strike would really hinder me getting to work."

Fuel price campaigners have warned the government that action is imminent.

Tomorrow protesters are expected to coverge on Cardiff while next week protests will move to Newcastle. Hauliers are planning a go-slow to delay traffic.

Rising oil prices are being blamed on the rising demand for oil products. Also contributing to the cost are security concerns in the Middle East, where some 65 per cent of the world's oil is produced.

Yesterday it was announced that members of the oil producer's cartel, OPEC, had reached an agreement to increase oil output by some eight per cent, which it is hoped will stop the increasing oil prices.

The national average cost of a litre of unleaded petrol yesterday was 82.82p up nearly 2p on the previous day and some petrol stations were charging more than 90p a litre. Petrol prices in Swindon last night averaged between 80.9 at Tesco and 82.9 in Texaco, Fleming Way.

Anthony Osborne