DESPERATE motorists caused chaos on Bolton's roads as petrol supplies started to trickle through yesterday afternoon.

Police and security guards were called in to control the forecourts in a bid to stop queue jumpers sparking trouble.

And hundreds of motorist queued up for petrol which did not arrive as rumours of deliveries spread like wildfire through drivers contacting friends and family on mobile phones.

One of the longest queues spread from the BP Safeway garage in Wigan Road, Bolton, which had a delivery of unleaded.

News that the garage was allowing the general public to fill up sparked a massive rush and by yesterday afternoon the unleaded pumps were dry again.

Police were called in to control the queues and eventually stopped cars joining the line at Pikes Lane health centre.

Security guard Phil Elton told the BEN: "It's been mad.

"When I arrived the traffic was stretching back three or four miles to the town hall and the police had to escort me up here.

"I've been brought in from Salford because people have been trying to sneak in cans, jump queues and all sorts. It's been crazy."

As news that the Trafford Park blockade had been lifted started to filter through around lunchtime, Gordon's Texaco garage in Kay Street began selling fuel to the general public, rationing it to £10 per car.

Police originally brought in to ensure only drivers working for the emergency services filled up left the garage soon afterwards. But within half hour queues had started to build up around the corner to the traffic lights at Topp Way and two hours later the police were back as lines of traffic stretched miles up Higher Bridge Street.

Salesman Ian Swansbury of Whitehalls Close, Horwich, could not believe his luck when he saw the cones being lifted as he drove past the garage.

He said: "I last filled up on Sunday and but I cover a big area so I haven't been able to get about all week. I'm half full because I took yesterday off to save petrol for an important appointment tomorrow. It's not much but it will make a difference." Soldier Craig Masters from Walkden was taking his car into Gordons for a repair estimate when he noticed what was happening and grabbed the opportunity to bring his petrol gauge out of the red."I've just had enough to get back home so this will be really handy," he said.

Stephen Lewis was passing the garage after picking up his wife from Christie's cancer hospital in Manchester and decided to fill up his Audi.

"I notice the prices have gone up but that's market forces," he shrugged in relief.

Even though supplies had been made available for emergency services, social worker Mary Bird found Gordon's in the nick of time.

"I've just enough to get home but I didn't have any petrol for home visits," she said.

Disappointed motorists queued outside the the Moon and Star garage on Bury Road after the owner let some regulars know he was expecting a delivery yesterday afternoon.

By 2pm lines of traffic were stretching back to Safeway as drivers waited for the tankers to arrive and the garage owner was to take the phone off the hook to put an end to the none stop ringing.

But about an hour later the disappointed drivers had to return home without any petrol after the tanker driver phoned to say the the blockade at Trafford Park was back on.

Wine salesman Paul Cross of Boundary Drive, Bradley Fold, was top of the queue. He said: "I haven't had any petrol since Friday and I'm now desperate. "I normally use 25 gallons per week so I know why the protesters are angry but it's very frustrating.

"I've not been able to go anywhere since Monday but there is only so much you can do when you are working from home. I can't even make any appointments for next week because nobody knows what's happening."

All over Bolton queues started forming as rumours spread on the mobile phone network but few garages had the predicted deliveries.

And yesterday proved that it will take longer to restore public confidence than it will to return the fuel pumps to normal capacity.

A large number of motorists in the queues still had half a tank of petrol in their cars but decided to top up fearing further blockades.

It seems that panic buying will be the order of the day even when the petrol comes flooding back into Bolton garages.