Published: April 27, 2008
Panic buying of petrol in Burnham leaves petrol pumps dry

'Panic buying' of petrol in Burnham-On-Sea on Sunday (April 27th) left this town centre petrol station without unleaded fuel supplies and other local stations struggling to keep up with demand.

Motorists were being turned away from Burnham's Esso station in Love Lane, as pictured, after it ran out of unleaded fuel at mid-day. It was not until 9pm on Sunday that new supplies were brought in.

Other petrol stations in the Burnham area were also experiencing higher than normal demand.

The 'panic buying' came amid national media coverage of a strike at Scotland's main fuel supplier.

Staff have stopped work in a dispute with the firm's operators over proposed changes to pensions. This has led to a major BP pipeline that provides 30% of the UK's daily oil output from the north sea being shut down.

The government has urged motorists not to panic buy. The Business Secretary John Hutton said on Sunday that there is enough fuel to get through the action.