One in three petrol stations were forced to close in southern England amid oil terminal protests, according to fuel campaigners.

       The Fair Fuel UK Campaign claimed an estimated 1,200 pumps south of the Midlands had run dry on Sunday as action by Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion continued.

       Images showed queues of cars snaking out of petrol station forecourts in Kent, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire as motorists attempted to fill up ahead of the working week.

       Fair Fuel UK wrote on Twitter: “We are getting credible intelligence that 1 in 3 garages have run dry of petrol and/or diesel particularly in the south, because of the ‘stop oil’ amoebas. Why is the govt not acting?”

       Activists targeted three fuel depots in Hertfordshire, Essex and Warwickshire on Sunday, locking themselves onto pipes and blocking entrances to the sites, making it difficult to move fuel in and out.

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       The campaigners, who have been demonstrating since 1 April, are calling for the government to stop all new oil and gas projects.

       A government spokesperson confirmed the protests had led to short-term disruption to fuel deliveries – but urged people not to panic buy.

       They said in a statement: “Just Stop Oil protest activity at some oil terminals has led to short-term disruptions to fuel deliveries over the past few days.

       “The police are working to remove protestors from sites so normal deliveries can resume.

       “We are working closely with industry to ensure that supplies are maintained. The public should continue to purchase fuel as normal.”

       Home secretary Priti Patel branded the “selfish” protesters an “eco mob” as she attempted to blame Labour for not supporting the Conservatives’ new draconian police powers in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill.

       Police talk to protestors taking part in a demonstration on Lambeth Bridge in central London

       (Yui Mok/PA)

       She told the Daily Mail: "Hard-working people across our country are seeing their lives brought to a standstill by selfish, fanatical and frankly dangerous so-called activists.

       "Keir Starmer’s Labour Party repeatedly voted against our proposals that would have given the police extra powers to deal with this eco mob.

       "The police have my full backing in doing everything necessary to address this public nuisance."

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       Motorists are said to be facing the most expensive Easter on record when it comes to fuel prices.

       The latest government figures show the average cost of a litre of petrol at UK forecourts on 4 April was 161.9p, with diesel at 176.0p.