Motorists in Oxfordshire have been told not to panic as fears of petrol shortages grow.

Cars queue for fuel at the Texaco garage in Yarnton yesterday.Many flocked to filling stations yesterday in response to the planned refinery blockades and reports of Government rationing.

One petrol station in the county ran out of fuel yesterday after drivers filled up their tanks in anticipation of protests later this week.

But county emergency planning officer John Kelly said the rush to the pumps was premature.

Mr Kelly added: "The advice we're getting from the Government is that the threat is low. We're certainly not topping up tanks. We don't want to cause panic-buying or anything like that.

"There's a contingency plan in draft form from the 2000 fuel crisis and that eventually leads to some kind of rationing if the Government implements it. But that would be quite a drastic measure."

Oxfordshire Fire Service's community safety manager John Lloyd said: "We have got our own contingency plans and we have got our own stock (of fuel) that we keep on the station anyway, so hopefully that should be enough to get us through. We're not particularly concerned, but it's something that we need to bear in mind."

Filling stations in the county have reported a marked increase in the amount of vehicles queuing for fuel since newspaper reports yesterday forecast a shortage.

Texaco, in Woodstock Road, Yarnton, ran out of fuel by 6pm yesterday, following queues of customers panic-buying.

Manager Anil Kumar said: "We've had very big queues and we are very concerned. We won't get another delivery until tomorrow. People are panicking, thinking there won't be any fuel."

At the Headington Shell station, in London Road, manager Tony Hallam said: "I wouldn't call it panic-buying, but there's been an increase in volume.

"People who would normally spend £20 or £30 are now spending £40. The queues do go back to the edge of the forecourt and into the road, but it's not all the time."

At the Botley BP station, Oxford Brookes student Chris Hardy, 21, was among those stocking up.

"I'm going to Cornwall on Saturday and heard about the possibility of a fuel problem, so I thought I'd stock up well before I go," he said,

"It's a bit expensive, but I think they (protesters) make it worse by blocking the motorways up."

Andrew Spence, spokesman for the Fuel Lobby, which is planning protests at the price of petrol from tomorrow until Friday, has called on the public to "attend" oil refineries from 6am tomorrow.

Mr Spence said: "We are not calling for a blockade, but if oil companies decide they cannot send out lorries while there is a public presence at their site, then that is a matter for them."

A motorway go-slow is also planned for the M4 and campaigners have revealed that the port of Dover could be targeted.