VITAL contingency plans were being drawn up as the continuing fuel crisis threatened a crippling knock on effect throughout Chorley.

Filling stations ran completely out of fuel this week.

The fear now is that businesses and services could grind to a halt if the situation deepens.

Colin Campbell, deputy chief executive of Chorley Borough Council, said: "We are looking at priority and contingency arrangements.

"We are also having discussions with key service suppliers, such as Cleanaway (refuse collector) to look at their position and what alternative arrangements we might be able to put in place.

"Cleanaway are OK until the middle of next week as things stand."

He added: "We have our own fuel supplies and are looking at sensitive housekeeping to conserve fuel. We are in a position to maintain services until next week.

"We have introduced fuel management arrangements, conserving fuel for emergency services." He said these included floods and urgent repairs.

He said town hall meetings over the fuel crisis had been ongoing. Council staff are also being asked to consider alternative ways of getting to work, such as public transport and car sharing -- plus possibly working from home and taking annual leave.

Hospital and NHS Trust chiefs were, at the time of going to press, still pouring over contingency plans regarding essential patient services and ways in which staff can carry on delivering home care services.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service revealed it was very concerned about people stockpiling fuel -- warning that they were putting lives at risk.

John Williamson, assistant chief fire officer, said: "Stored fuel presents a fire and explosion hazard whatever the container and hoarding petrol is something I must emphatically advise against."

Fire chiefs said they could deal with emergency situations and that the service's own fuel supplies were sufficient to last for months.

Lancashire Police say they are monitoring the situation closely and that it's "business as usual" across the county with petrol for police services still available.

A spokesperson said: "This fuel problem at the moment has absolutely no impact on policing throughout the county."

Lancashire County Council said its priority was to ensure that frontline emergency services and services to vulnerable people, such as children and the elderly, were able to function as efficiently as possible.

Staff have been asked to cancel non-essential journeys and officers are co-ordinating and planning fuel supplies for all services.

Lewis Baker, chairman of Chorley Hackney Cab Owners' Association, said: "I think they (protestors) are doing the right thing because the Government was elected by the people to work for the people and at the moment it is not working for the people.

"How come we are not being charged the same prices as the EC?"

Mr Baker added: "I'm running on threequarters of a tank. When that's gone I'm stopped, I'm dead. I laid a driver off last night.

"When I run out of fuel and can't work I will be on the picket line as well."

He said it was unlikely Chorley taxi drivers as a whole would take any action locally in support of the protest.

A spokesman for superstore Morrisons said: "At the moment we have not got a problem with getting supplies to and from the stores, but we are keeping the situation under review.

"Some people are panic buying. Yes, it is happening, but we are advising people not to panic."

Garages have been slammed for hiking up prices.

But Felton's Garage, Euxton, defended its decision to increase fuel to 99.9p a litre.

Owner Ian Felton explained: "We took the decision to raise the price of petrol early Monday morning -- and the reason for it was simple.

"Our petrol station is subsidised by our garage. We have had mechanics not able to work on vehicles because of the fuel shortage, so we are losing money hand over fist.

"We have to pay our mechanics so the only way to do that was to increase the price of our leftover petrol."

He added: "Our regular customers have even offered us up to £1.50 for a litre of petrol.

"We never planned this or even expected it. We certainly support the protesters because things can not carry on as they are."

Stagecoach Ribble this week informed passengers it was unable to run a normal network of bus services from yesterday (Wednesday, September 13).

A spokesperson for the AA in the North West said: "From our point of view it is still business as normal as we speak.

"But if you do run out of fuel we can't guarantee in certain areas we can get fuel for you. We will give you a local tow."

She urged people not to panic buy and gave guidance on what type of fuel motorists should use.

"LRP (Lead Replacement Petrol) is the old four star. Use what the car's handbook advises you to use. But for the short term, as a one of, it won't do any harm putting LRP in a car that normally runs on unleaded unless it has a catalytic converter. If you have a catalytic converter don't use LRP."