THE fuel crisis was threatening the jobs of almost 500 workers at Stateside Pizza on the Wingates Industrial Estate at Westhoughton

The firm makes chilled pizzas for major supermarkets and has to ship out fresh produce every day.

Hauliers used by the firm had only enough petrol supply to last today.

But with the protests called off this morning, Mr Jon Lucas, managing director, said he was hoping that they would be able to carry on supplying supermarkets.

He said: "It was becoming very, very difficult.

"We have a very loyal, hardworking workforce, but if hauliers were not able to transport our products to stores, then there would not have been any point making them."

Meanwhile, Bolton's Mayor Cllr Alan Wilkinson has abandoned his limousine in favour of one of the council's Peugeot fleet cars.

He said: "It is more economical and we have enough petrol to last the weekend."

But some of his engagements have been cancelled this week because members of organisations have had difficulty attending.

Asda at Middlebrook has reported trade this week has been 50 per cent up on normal as a result of panic buying.

Mr Arthur Molyneux, general manager, said: "We have all the basic supplies. Our bakery here is working 24 hours. People may not be able to buy the brand they want, but they will be able to buy bread and milk and other basics."

Taxi drivers have been struggling to find fuel to run a service.

Private hire driver Sean Hornby, who runs an airport service, had to queue for four hours in the middle of the night to fill up his three vehicles. He had to drive to Birch Services on the M62 where a delivery of petrol had got through.

Mr Hornby, of Marsh Road, Little Lever, director of Enterprise Airport Direct, said that he has so far managed to transport passengers to the airport to catch their holiday flights.

He said: "We have been asking people to alter their leaving times so that we can put three or four groups in a mini bus, but we have got them all there in time."

But he said that he fears that public sympathy with the blockades is starting to wane.

He said: "Now that people are running out of fuel fast, they will become unsympathetic to the cause."

Mr Mohammed Asgar, who runs A 2 B Taxis on Wigan Road, says he will not be able to run taxis after tomorrow unless he is able to fill up.

He said: "We won't have any petrol at all by the weekend."