Army to deliver fuel from Monday as ministers scramble to end crisis

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TROOPS will start driving tankers around the country on Monday as ministers scramble to end the fuel crisis.

Almost 200 soldiers will haul petrol from refineries to forecourts.

Cars queue for fuel at an ESSO station in Kent as the shortages continue

Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay said the Government had “taken decisive action to tackle the short-term disruption to our supply chains, and in particular the flow of fuel to forecourts.”

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace added: “While the situation is stabilising, our Armed Forces are there to fill in any critical vacancies and help keep the country on the move.”

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng blamed panic-buying and stressed: “There is no national shortage of fuel in the UK, and people should continue to buy fuel as normal.”

To ease any future pressure, ministers are setting up a visa scheme to allow 300 fuel tanker drivers into the UK immediately.

They will be allowed to stay until March — and will be in addition to 4,700 truckers helping food supplies, who can stay until February.

Meanwhile pictures showed more than 40 reserve tankers remaining in storage yesterday in Fenstanton, Cambs.

More than 40 reserve tankers remaining in storage today in Fenstanton, Cambs

It is one of two depots where they are prepared for emergency use. The other is in Bradford.

Flashpoints continued at forecourts around Britain.

A video of a frustrated Sainsbury’s worker using a stop-go sign to control panic buyers went viral.

A grateful customer in Ladbroke Grove, West London, tweeted: “Keeping the show on the road smoothly, despite the odd irate customer and the inclement weather.”

In Erith, South East London, Jenni Turner told neighbours how relieved she was to fill up her car — only for two thieves to drain her tank.

CCTV showed them drilling holes into her Ford Fiesta and filling up two jerry cans.