ROCKETING prices led to petrol being sold at almost £1 a litre near Ipswich today with the prospect of more price hikes to come.The continuing rise comes just a few weeks after a survey found East Anglian motorists are already shelling out more for petrol than anywhere else in the country.

ROCKETING prices led to petrol being sold at almost £1 a litre near Ipswich today with the prospect of more price hikes to come.

The continuing rise comes just a few weeks after a survey found East Anglian motorists are already shelling out more for petrol than anywhere else in the country.

Prices at Spencer's Garage, in Martlesham, have reached a record high with signs showing 99.9p for petrol and £103.9 for diesel.

Steve Spencer, of the garage, said: “It is becoming ridiculous. I have had a letter from CPL Petroleum, who I buy the fuel from, to say I have to pay £107.5 a litre for diesel - that's more than Tesco sell it for.

“It is difficult being a small, independent garage but I can never take on the supermarkets as I don't have the forecourt for it.”

Elsewhere the Jet garage on the A12 at Capel St Mary and the Texaco station opposite were selling unleaded for 95.9p per litre, while at the Shell stations in Wherstead Road, Ipswich and on the A14 near Nacton it was 94.9p.

At Sainsbury's Warren Heath it was 93.9, with Tesco at Copdock selling it a penny cheaper at the weekend.

PetrolPrices.com said the average cost of a litre of unleaded reached the 95p a litre mark across the country over the weekend, compared to an average of 75p two years ago.

This week's rise is mainly due to the future Iranian oil exports being hit by the threat of US-led sanctions and the growth in demand by India and China.

Iran says it needs the uranium to develop nuclear power stations, but the US fears Iran wants nuclear weapons.

Oil production in Nigeria has also been hit because of attacks on facilities by anti-government militants.

Paul Hodgson , RAC spokesman, said: “The rise in petrol prices are due to long and short-term situations.

“In the long-term we are having to cope with the fact that industrialisation in India and China happened a lot sooner than expected.

“In the short-term we are having to cope with supply problems from Nigeria and the speculation of what is happening in Iran.

“Demand also increases in the US at this time of year when the weather gets warmer which puts more strain on the limited supply we have. Things are likely to get worse over the next six months as the demand in the US increases.”

N How does the rise in petrol affect you? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk