Motorists are starting to drain the pumps of petrol stations, disregarding pleas not to panic-buy fuel.

As a four-day pay strike by tanker drivers continued into its second day, up to 150 filling stations around Britain had run out of fuel, according to the Petrol Retailers' Association. The striking drivers are contracted to deliver fuel to Shell stations, but those forced to close their pumps were not all Shell stations: other companies had trouble meeting the added demand as motorists prepared for the worst.

Shell’s 870 stations had filled their tanks to capacity in preparation for this weekend’s four-day pay strike by tanker drivers, but their stocks could only last a limited time.

Shell estimated that more than 100 of its petrol stations had run out of petrol, diesel or both. "Sales remain high but are not at extreme levels, and there are still few signs of panic buying," a company spokeswoman said. "As the strike continues, it is inevitable that in time, there will be a significant impact on our petrol stations."

Another major fuel company, BP, alleged that 15 of its drivers had been "intimidated" by the picketing drivers for Shell. At the Stanlow refinery in Cheshire yesterday evening, the drivers had crossed the picket line under a police escort. But, soon afterwards, word came that they would not be working.

BP has complained to Unite, the union representing the striking drivers, but a Unite spokesman said he could not comment on what happened on the picket lines.

Tesco said customers had been rushing its forecourts, emptying pumps faster than they could be filled. But it had quickly restocked stations that ran out of fuel.

“Tesco is experienced in coping with these types of situations and we’ve worked hard to keep pumps supplied and open,” a spokesman said.

“In some cases people have seen the media reports predicting shortages and they’ve changed their normal buying habits, emptying pumps faster than we can fill them. There is petrol coming through and any outstocks have been short-lived.”

This is the second time this year that fuel companies have faced panic-buying: the strike at a Scottish oil refinery in April prompted a similar run on the forecourts.

Today, Morrisons said its petrol stations had seen high demand over the past week and additional deliveries were being made to the company’s forecourts.

A spokeswoman said: “To reduce the risk of shortages and unnecessary queuing we would ask that people are sensible when purchasing their fuel.”

Website PetrolPrices.com warned that up to 54 parts of the country could be left without fuel during the strike action, in areas that are entirely or largely reliant on Shell stations.

The 650 striking workers are employees of Hoyer UK and Suckling Transport, the two firms that are contracted by Shell to deliver its petrol from the depots to the retailers.

The drivers are unhappy with a 7.3 per cent pay rise offered by the two companies, and are threatening a further four-day strike next weekend.

The government has instructed police forces to break up any picket lines that threaten to prevent tankers from leaving or entering fuel depots. And emergency powers to order petrol rationing will come into force on Monday if the strike threatens to grow out of control.

Hoyer said the pay offer was an extremely good one, and it was disappointed at the plans for further strike action.

But Unite, the union to which the striking petrol tanker drivers belong, said drivers were on a low basic salary of £31,800, and if their jobs had not been outsourced from Shell they would now be earning £46,000.

Prime minister Gordon Brown has urged both sides to resume negotiations, adding that contingency plans were in place to minimise disruption to the public.

The strike coincides with a protest against the level of the government’s fuel duty: about 100 lorry drivers and other motorists set off this morning on a “go-slow” protest up the M6 from Warrington, Cheshire, near the Stanlow refinery.

Another convoy staged a demonstration near the Fawley refinery, in Southampton.

Tony Burridge, who organised the convoy from Warrington to Lancashire, said: “I am confident that if enough people take a stand the Government will realise that the rising cost of fuel is intolerable for ordinary working people and their families. It is not just hauliers who are facing hardship.”

Lancashire police have advised motorists only to travel on the M6 if necessary, and warned that the M56 and M62 may also become heavily congested.

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