Leaders from sectors across the county have spoken of the "severe impact" the rising cost of fuel is having on their industries.

The average cost of a litre of petrol was 180.7p on Tuesday - an increase of 2.2p in just 24 hours and the largest daily jump in 17 years, according to data firm Experian Catalist.

If fuel prices continue to accelerate at the current rate, the RAC believes the average price of petrol and diesel could surpass £2 a litre in most areas of the country rather than at just the occasional forecourt.

And now, sectors across the county - including the care, fishing and taxi industries - have spoken out against the hike in petrol and diesel prices.

Brigitte Grutzmacher, the manager of Whitstable-based home care service Tender Loving Carers, fears workers could be pushed to other sectors due to rising fuel costs - putting pressure on an already understaffed industry.

"This will deter staff, they will leave the sector and may work for residential homes - if they’re lucky - but may leave the sector altogether," she said.

"We are speaking to local authorities to see if they can help us.

"It is a massive concern. We are doing our best to reimburse our staff but it’s killing our business and it’s not something we can continue financially.

"As with many sectors, in social care we are struggling to keep our staff.

"People who do this job get fulfilment out of helping people, but they are going to be pushed to other sectors not because they want to but because they have no choice."

She fears people leaving the sector, which is being exacerbated by the cost of living crisis, could have a wider impact on health services.

"If we keep losing staff from our services because of these additional pressures on top of the normal problems with the cost of living, this will increase pressures on the NHS and local authorities," she added.

"Say you have an older person who needs help with washing and dressing but are safe to stay at home, the cost is a lot cheaper than going into a care home setting.

"When you have care workers in a care home setting, they don’t have these costs.

"We have these costs on our business and it means people will have to go in care home settings which they don’t need which can lead to deterioration."

She has urged the government to provide discounted petrol and diesel rates for carers travelling to homes.

"What we would like is a fuel card which identifies someone as a social care worker which allows them a reduced rate on fuel," she said.

"We are not asking for money into the business although it would be helpful as we would give 100% of that to the staff, but it would be helpful if workers had a subsidy."

John Nichols, chairman of the Thanet Fishermen's Association, told how the cost of red diesel has increased from 70p a litre 18 months ago to £1.25.

It means the average fisherman in the area is spending more than £100-a-day on fuel, compared to about £60 one-and-a-half-years ago.

"It has impacted us quite severely as it is our biggest daily expense and the engines burn a lot of fuel.

"There are also the costs of transport where the product has to be moved around.

"Fuel is a very large cost of the fishing industry now."

Red diesel is used to operate off-road vehicles and machinery, such as fishing boats.

It is meant to be low cost as it is taxed at a reduced duty rate (11.14p per litre) compared with white diesel available at petrol stations.

It is illegal to use red diesel on vehicles used on public roads and is marked with a red dye and chemical markers so it can be easily identified.

Mr Nichols added: "Last week, our buying in price rose by 4p a litre in one day which is a huge increase.It is not unsustainable but it is making life very difficult.

"We are lucky we don’t have trawlers like you see at Rye and Whitstable as they use a lot of fuel.

"Our methods of fishing in Ramsgate are less on the fuel, but the average trip is about £100 a day."

Mr Nicholls told how he would welcome financial help from the government to reduce fuel costs.

"If by catching fish we need some help in the form of subsidies, then we would be happy to receive it," he said.

"It would go a long way to help even if it’s an emergency one.

"If you had it for three months and had a review, it would be fair and it wouldn’t be unreasonable."

Taxi driver of 24 years Richard Stebbing, who operates Kent Airport Cars by himself, said in the first week of June last year he was paying £1.26 per litre but is now hitting £2.

"I would usually spend £7k a year on fuel but I could be paying about £11k a year.

"That cost has been conpounded by airport drop off charges so at Gatwick I have to pay £5 to drive people around and drop them off.

"I do that eight or ten times a week which is adding about £40 a week to my costs.

"Customers are paying £15 to £20 more a trip than they were a year ago.

"Everyone has been nice about it as they’re filling their own cars up but what worries me is customers will start to drive and park at the airport."

About a third of his work is for people going on business trips - which he says demand for will not be impacted.

But he fears the other two-thirds of his work, which serves people going on holiday, will be impacted.

"At the moment I’m flat out busy and there is more demand than I can supply," he added.