DRIVERS have been urged not to panic after a number of forecourts throughout the region ran short of fuel.The Sainsbury's store in Warren Heath, Ipswich, ran out of unleaded petrol yesterday, while Meredith Service Station, on Norwich Road, Ipswich, had no diesel left.

DRIVERS have been urged not to panic after a number of forecourts throughout the region ran short of fuel.

The Sainsbury's store in Warren Heath, Ipswich, ran out of unleaded petrol yesterday, while Meredith Service Station, on Norwich Road, Ipswich, had no diesel left.

There were also reports of fuel shortages at other forecourts in Suffolk and Essex.

Kevin Bayles, store manager at Warren Heath Sainsbury's, said the shortages related to the number of people wanting to buy fuel as they prepared to go away for Christmas.

The Petrol Retailers' Association (PRA) said high demand in the lead-up to Christmas combined with large numbers of forecourt closures had led to the problems.