PANICKED drivers in York 'already started' queueing for petrol early this morning, reports suggest.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps pleaded with the country to "carry on as normal" after BP was forced to close down a small handful of petrol stations.

The ongoing lorry driver shortage has hit fuel deliveries - but the Government insisted this was "not new".

Shapps said five petrol stations on the BP network out of 12 or 13 hundred were affected, as of Thursday night.

A “small number” of Tesco refilling stations have also been impacted, said Esso owner ExxonMobil, which runs the sites.

Queues have been reported at the following forecourts: Tesco at Clifton Moor, Asda at Monks Cross and Foss Islands Road Morrisons.

Vicky Secka said: "My mum has just queued for 30 mins at Sainsbury’s Monks Cross.

"We have diesel. Just everyone is panic buying."

York Press: Laura Garwood, who sent us this photograph, said Tesco Clifton Moor was "manic" earlier today.Laura Garwood, who sent us this photograph, said Tesco Clifton Moor was "manic" earlier today.

York residents shared their experiences on the road this morning with some drivers "stuck in queues" or roundabouts.

Wendy Rennie said: "Tesco Clifton moor is busy, making all the roundabouts backed up."

Some petrol stations in Tadcaster, Malton and Ripon have also seen more drivers filling up. 

Speaking on the situation in York today, Lynne Rimington said: "We didn't even want any petrol, but got stuck in the queues trying to get in from the main road!"

Jess Paylor added to the discussion: "Asda at Monks Cross is mental!"

On Friday morning, queues started to form outside some filling stations in the UK.

Photos from Maidenhead and Leeds showed cars trying to reach the pumps.

But York resident Gaz Wriggo told us: "It's already started here."

The Transport Secretary has since told Sky News: “The advice would be to carry on as normal, and that is what BP is saying as well.

“They describe it on the average day that they have a handful of petrol stations that they had to close out of twelve or thirteen hundred.

“The problem is not new. There has been a lack of drivers for many months through this pandemic because during the lockdown drivers couldn’t be passed through their lorry HGV tests, and that is what has led to this problem.

“But many more tests are being made available now, so we should see it smooth out fairly quickly.”