Queues are beginning to form at Sheppey’s petrol stations as drivers start panic buying petrol.

Garage managers have urged motorists not to fill up unneccessarily in the hope that a fuel crisis similar to the one seen in 2000 can be averted.

Last-ditch attempts to avoid a strike by fuel tanker drivers broke down early this morning and the government is now considering limiting the amount that drivers can buy in the hope that shortages can be avoided.

But the message not to panic buy seemed to be falling on deaf ears on the island this lunchtime, with queues forming in Sheerness and Queenborough.

Van driver John Mortimer, 51, from Rainham, was filling up at Tesco in Sheerness, which had a constant stream of customers by 2pm.

He said: “From what I’ve seen it does look like people are starting to panic buy, but I’m not going to fill up just because I have heard there might be a strike. It probably won’t happen.”

The industrial action affects around 600 drivers working for two companies with contracts to deliver petrol to Shell forecourts.

With one in 10 petrol stations in the UK run by Shell, union chiefs were predicting shortages. About half the garages in Kent are Shell.

Carolyn Newman, manager at BP in Queenborough Corner, begged drivers to think twice before buying uneccessary amounts of fuel. She said business was up by 25 per cent.

She said: “Judging by the amount of people we’ve had in and queueing panic buying is already here.

“It’s a constant queue at the tills, but people don’t say anything. They’re sheepish because they know they shouldn’t be doing it.

“In situations like this, there is only generally a problem because people go out and make one by buying uneccessarily.”